CHALLENGES DURING COVID-19: LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES AND CAPABILITIES

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for organizations worldwide, necessitating effective leadership to navigate the crisis successfully.This study investigates the dynamics of leadership styles employed during the pandemic, focusing on Transactional Leadership (TL) and Transformational Leadership (TAL), and their impact on Leadership Competencies (LCOM).Through a rigorous empirical analysis using SMART-PLS4 this research examines the relationships between TL, TAL, and LCOM among leaders during the pandemic.The findings reveal intriguing insights into the influence of leadership styles on competencies required in times of crisis.Research question one explores the relationship between TL and LCOM.Surprisingly, the results indicate that the direct effect from TL to LCOM is statistically insignificant.This suggests that during the pandemic, Transactional Leadership may not play a substantial role in shaping Leadership Competencies, highlighting the possible influence of other factors.Research question two investigates the association between TAL and LCOM.The analysis reveals a statistically significant and positive relationship between TAL and LCOM, suggesting that leaders who exhibit Transformational Leadership qualities were more likely to demonstrate higher competencies during the pandemic.Research Question three summarizes the findings, highlighting the lack of a significant direct effect between TL and LCOM, but emphasizing the strong positive impact of TAL on LCOM.Research question four investigates the relationship between vision and innovation for an organization's leaders.These results contribute to our understanding of leadership dynamics during crisis situations, emphasizing the significance of Transformational Leadership qualities in fostering competencies essential for organizational success.