School principals were required to engage in crisis leadership throughout New Zealand’s first seven-week COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020. Eighteen school principals from a range of secondary schools were interviewed about their experiences. The challenges they faced included preparing students and teachers for online teaching and learning for an unknown length of time, supporting student and staff wellbeing, and communicating clearly and compassionately to all stakeholder groups. Their opportunities related to strengthening digital teaching and learning, distributing leadership and resetting direction. This study identifies a number of implications for future crisis leadership practice including: preparing, attending to wellbeing, communicating effectively, leading collaboratively and taking opportunities.

在2020年3月的新西兰首个为期7周的COVID-19封锁中，要求学校负责人进行危机领导。对一系列中学的18名学校负责人进行了采访，以了解他们的经历。他们面临的挑战包括：为学生和教师提供在线学习和未知时间的学习准备，支持学生和员工的健康以及与所有利益相关者群体进行清晰而富有同情心的沟通。他们的机会涉及加强数字教与学，分配领导力和重新设定方向。这项研究确定了对未来危机领导实践的一些影响，包括：准备，关注健康，有效沟通，协作领导和抓住机会。