Leadership--the journey continues.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Administration
• Organizational Leadership
• Crisis Management

Background:

• Hurricane Katrina caused catastrophic destruction to a university campus.
• The disaster dismantled the existing organizational structure, raising doubts about the university's future.
• Administrators were compelled to adopt new roles beyond their traditional responsibilities to ensure institutional continuity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe how Project LEAD facilitated a nurse administrator's assumption of new leadership responsibilities.
• To illustrate the application of leadership theories in a post-disaster environment.
• To demonstrate the role of leadership development programs in crisis response.

Main Methods:

• The study utilizes a descriptive approach, detailing the experiences of a nurse administrator.
• It extensively discusses the four organizational frames by Bolman and Deal.
• It incorporates the leadership teachings of Dr. Height.

Main Results:

• Project LEAD served as a crucial guide for the administrator during the crisis.
• The program equipped her with the necessary skills to navigate new leadership roles.
• The administrator successfully adapted to the evolving organizational structure.

Conclusions:

• Leadership development programs like Project LEAD are vital for effective crisis management in higher education.
• The application of established leadership frameworks can support administrators during unprecedented events.
• Resilience and adaptability in leadership are essential for organizational survival post-disaster.