Managing Crisis Overload in Israeli Higher Education: Exploring the Servant Leadership Roles of Program and Department Heads During Uncertain Times

Effective leadership of a higher education department is essential for the institutions, especially when facing challenges and changes. This study explored how middle management heads in the academy coped with a prolonged crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-seven heads, comprising around a third of Israel’s academic department and programme leadership, participated in interviews. A different sample of 113 heads responded to a questionnaire. The results showed that the heads were challenged by work overload in three main dimensions during the crisis: managing students, managing faculty and staff, and balancing family needs. The study highlights their role as servant leaders in maintaining their institutions' status and their subordinates’ welfare and suggests implications for middle management in future crises.