3.7.4. Subtheme 2.4: Women's Self-Leadership

Murphy was thrown into a new and extremely demanding leadership position at the beginning of the pandemic and was left on her own to learn her role because the previous heroic leaders at the university were in lockdown. She discovered her own self-leadership, as did her three colleagues, and recognized that they no longer needed the heroic leader to tell them what to do. She said that she became much more conscious of leadership through COVID, and, in fact, that the pandemic served as a master class that provided her a "PhD in leadership".

Murphy learned that communication is very critical during crises. She helped to set up a site on which her office staff posted information weekly for all employees and students about the situation. They learned from their mistakes and how important key information is to help quell fear and insecurity. This experience made everyone a believer in communication and the importance of sharing what you know. "Anything short of misinformation needed to be shared because we were all trying to move step by step", Murphy explained.

3.7.5. Subtheme 2.5: A Renewed Focus on What Is Important in Life, Seeing the World with New Eyes

As Amira said, "the pandemic renewed my connection with fundamental values about what is important in life. It has been a life lesson that has taught valuing family more. It has been a "pause and reflect" and a serious reboot ... can be a good reboot to look at life differently, to have different priorities ... invest more in the family, in nature, be more tolerant, respect the collective and recognize that we have immediate effects on our fellow men".

*"I view the future differently and view society's responsibilities differently with a different mindset and different values", she continued explaining. Why are we here? To love one another, to nurture nature. This has been an opportunity for all of us to learn how to live our lives* ... *more self-aware, more introspective, to understand the fundamentals* ... *My family's support helped. Without their support, I couldn't have done it".*

Tammy reported that "I'm not willing anymore to put my family on hold". She learned how her kids learned and what they do and do not know about computers. Amira also said that "the pandemic really allowed us to get to know our kids".

Ebere said that she was "surprised" that her five-year-old son was capable of concentrating on learning independently and on manipulating the computer. She also said that she cherished the time she could spend with her family during the pandemic, and that it was, in many ways, the best experience of her life. Murphy explained that she was happy to be home with her partner and two sons, unlike many of her colleagues.
