Implicit Representations of Managers Concerning Opportunities in Crisis Situations (Justification of the Research Methodology)

An intense political and economic environment poses a serious challenge to business development. Nevertheless, this does not prevent Russians from opening an increasing number of new companies each year. Effective leadership has long been the subject of study by psychologists and economists. Researchers have made numerous attempts to identify the qualities, competencies, and styles of effective leadership. They have converged on the conclusion that the personal traits of a leader are not predictors of management success, especially in environments characterized by constant change. Therefore, this article justifies a methodological approach that can serve as an alternative to the trait-based theory approach in determining the image of a successful leader who addresses tasks of personal and professional transformation under external crises. A methodology is described that allows the investigation of implicit crisis models in the perceptions of leaders with professional self-awareness and the identification of effective management practices. Considering the methodological difficulties that researchers face when reconstructing implicit models (issues of data authenticity, tool relevance, and research scope), we have developed methods for obtaining authentic data. To achieve this, we employed the technique of triple focusing on the subject of the study, selected questions that allowed access to different layers of the leader's reality, and identified and implemented specific procedural features. We tested the research methodology and obtained psychosemantic material containing descriptions of the leader's events, thoughts, emotions, and actions, as well as explanations of the meaning and significance of their actions. This methodology enabled the study of management practices that leaders use or should learn to use in order to overcome crises and manage new opportunities.