A Qualitative Study: The 4 I’s of Transformational Leadership and the Impact It Has on Building Employee Resiliency

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a turbulent environment for governments and citizens worldwide. In this context, one concept stands out as particularly valuable: resilience. Resilience, the capacity to bounce back from adversity, is a key component in post-pandemic recovery and evolution. This phenomenological study explores the crisis through the experiences of small business owners and leaders in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas during the pandemic's peak. The participants were selected for successfully navigating the pandemic and remaining in business. The study aims to examine the leadership styles used to build employee resilience, focusing on their commonalities through phenomenological research. The research will also reveal what these small business owners, leaders, and organizations learned about themselves, leading to a better understanding and appreciation for employee resilience. It will address the shortcomings in preparation, the breakdowns in the business sector, and how small businesses can better prepare for future crises. This backdrop provides insight into how the four I's of transformational leadership - intellectual stimulation, individual consideration, inspirational motivation, and idealized influence - could be used to build employee resilience.