*3.4. Better Sense of Self, Increased Confidence, and Greater Empathy*

A common thread and connection to the shifts in behavior was the leaders' perspective of themselves as leaders in terms of purpose and confidence, which translated to authenticity and empathy. Participants noted that once they were able to assess and take action, their confidence was boosted, and despite on-going challenges thrown in their leadership path, at the time of the interviews, they reported having great trust in themselves and their leadership abilities. One leader reported:

"I definitely adapted for the better. I came into the pandemic not very sure of myself and not confident. But all in all, I gained a lot of confidence. I found a new respect for the people around me, because I was more content with myself."

This comment aligns with the achieving styles' direct domain, particularly the intrinsic direct style. Furthermore, it reflects the Meta-Leadership Model's [4] focus on the person as a leader who embodies emotional intelligence and the capacity to engage, bonding their work to purpose. Relatedly, some reported that they had to re-envision the workplace and how to build a new culture based on a whole-person concept to build support systems that address a burgeoning need to provide safe (less threatening) spaces and psychological safety, given the turmoil in the external world due to the pandemic, social reckoning, and economic pressures.

The participating women leaders reported that the confines of the remote workplace compelled them to consider new ways of empowering their teams as well as focus on accountability. One reported:

"I had to teach people that we could get a lot done with me not being there; that we could pretty much do all remotely. I would establish the process and rules with them for our zoom meetings. We had a lot of interpersonal communications, continuing to make effective contact with people so that we could actually support one another and have productive meetings and goals met."

This somewhat newer way of leading relates to the need to empower, direct, and collaborate simultaneously to propel and maintain a group's efforts. This is reflected by increased scores in the instrumental and direct domains. The social instrumental domain, in particular, increased for two-thirds of the leaders, and the entrusting instrumental domain increased for just over a third. It also corroborates the consistent reliance on the collaborative relational domain across the time span.

Many specifically noted that they knew that their staff and colleagues needed different types of support and guidance at various points in the pandemic, and they, as leaders, needed to be vigilant to adapt their styles to the current needs. They recognized that while many needed encouragement and support, others needed direction and structure to maneuver through the balance of work and family responsibilities in this time of crisis and uncertainty. Frequently mentioned was the need for psychological safety, particularly in the remote work context, which was chaotic, without norms, and constantly changing.

As instrumental leaders, empathy was consistently mentioned by the women leaders as being key to their strategies in addressing the complexities of the many challenges confronted by themselves and their colleagues at home and in the workplace. The multi-faceted crisis was seen as equalizing, with everyone struggling with anxiety and/or depression. Yet through instrumental leadership behaviors, they did identify ways to maximize their own and everyone else's strengths, seeing the untapped possibilities in people and the situation. An example of a leader recognizing the need for empathy as a means for growth, not only for those she was leading but also for herself as a leader, is as follows:

"We had some cancer diagnoses in my family, depression, a lot of social anxiety. With all of those trials it sped up the learning curve. We talked about empathy and adaptability being key, pinnacle pieces of the workplace right now coming out of the pandemic. All of those trials helped me become more adaptable and more empathetic, which has made me a better leader."

Moreover, several mentioned that their newer perspective extended in numerous ways. Staff and colleagues were key, but also their families became a consideration. Also cited was an expanded perspective of the larger community within and beyond their organization.

"When the pandemic erupted, I was with a university where people are very community oriented. I started to think more about my community, recognizing that community is part of campus culture. I got involved just before, and continued my involvement in, the BLM movement. It made me feel greater dedication to those around me and empowered to participate in ways to make life better for others."

This reflects the spirit of an instrumental leader, who knows how to facilitate and orchestrate discussion and action at all levels. With the skill of being able to identify and activate untapped possibilities in people and situations, they assist groups in navigating challenges to reach communal goals. By maximizing everything about themselves, their relationships, and other peoples' talents, they easily bring people together to reach joint objectives.
