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Brief report
Emotionally intelligent themes in medical leaders’ decision-making during COVID-19
  1. Bobbie Ann Adair White1,
  2. Heather Valenova Dayag1,
  3. Erin S Barry2,
  4. Joann Farrell Quinn3
  1. 1Health Professions Education, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
  2. 2Anesthesiology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
  3. 3Department of Medical Education, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
  1. Correspondence to Dr Bobbie Ann Adair White, Health Professions Education, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; BWhite2{at}MGHIHP.EDU

Abstract

Background The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges for leaders in healthcare requiring decision-making and crisis response that can often be tricky without the right level of trust. Trust is fostered and facilitated with emotional intelligence (EI); thus, a critical examination of medical leaders’ reflections was essential to understand how leaders perceived their leadership responses during the initial response to COVID-19. This exploratory study used an EI lens to investigate leaders’ perceptions of their decision-making during COVID-19.

Methods A purposeful sample of seven leaders in medicine who experienced leading during COVID were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews.

Results Four themes around leadership response during the uncertain times of the COVID-19 were identified. The themes included communication, interprofessional collaboration including decision-making and strategic planning, internal and external awareness, and finally, trust and psychological safety.

Conclusions Incorporating EI competencies into crisis leadership education for healthcare professionals could enhance medical leaders’ preparedness to adapt, collaborate and communicate effectively in a crisis.

  • COVID-19
  • emotional intelligence
  • medical leadership
  • clinical leadership

https://doi.org/10.1136/leader-2023-000936

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Footnotes

  • X @_BAAW_, @erinsbarry

  • Contributors JFQ and BAAW conceptualised the project, wrote the research protocol, completed the interviews and participated in the writing of the final manuscript. JFQ also supervised analysis and BAAW led the analysis. HVD participated in data analysis and writing the manuscript. ESB participated in manuscript writing, manuscript revision and supervision of analysis.

  • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

  • Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.