Leadership, adaptation, and group resilience: a qualitative study of Bulgaria's 33rd Antarctic summer campaign

Antarctic field expeditions are isolated, confined, and extreme settings in which specialists must rapidly form effective teams to protect their wellbeing and to accomplish mission goals. We investigated leadership, team cohesion, group identity, and group-level motivation and coping during Bulgaria's 33rd Antarctic Summer Campaign using a longitudinal qualitative design.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted before departure (n = 28) and after return (n = 36), complemented by on-site ethnographic observation and field notes from an embedded observer. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, contrasting group-level anticipatory narratives with group-level retrospective accounts rather than tracking individual change over time.

Participants described a marked transition from initial subgrouping (e.g., experienced vs. novice; scientific vs. logistics roles) toward a superordinate "one-station" identity. Leadership practices that emphasised transparent communication, mixed-group coordination, and active norm-setting were described by participants as supporting reduced friction and sustained collaboration. Motivation was generally high across the mission, with brief weather- and monotony-related dips that were buffered by humour, peer encouragement, and structured daily routines.

The findings highlight how shared purpose, interdependence, and identity-related leadership behaviours were perceived as supporting cohesion and adaptive coping in short-term polar campaigns.