The purpose of this study was to explore, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, what leadership characteristics leaders perceive to be effective in leading their organizations through times of chaotic change. In the context of chaotic change, using opposing constructs of servant leadership and narcissistic leadership characteristics, I sought to better understand how these characteristics were viewed by leaders, which characteristics were considered effective in the context of a chaotically changing environment, and how both servant leadership and narcissistic leadership might be used together to achieve organizational goals.

The last 10 years have shown how necessary leadership is in chaotic times. The complexity of the past decades has forced business organizations to be lean and agile….Many still largely operate in outdated governance and political systems mired in bureaucracy and cronyism that work against collaborating for the greater good, resulting in countless unnecessary deaths and a traumatized healthcare workforce –the consequences of which we will be dealing with for years.

All the while, the leadership development industry is worth $366 billion, producing books and programs every year encouraging those in positions of authority to become "good leaders," to develop a transformational leadership style, inspirational leadership style, charismatic leadership style, or servant leadership, based largely on the prevailing scholarship in this field.

The COVID-19 pandemic is an especially impactful example of the impact of uncontrollable internal and external change.