Abstract
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) play an important role in the economy. In a stable economy, the resilience of SME’s is important. Research on the resilience of organisations as well as personal resilience abound but not much research has been done on the relationship between personal leadership and organisational resilience. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the personal leadership experience of senior executives within SME’s with regards to ensuring organisational resilience and to develop guidelines to help with personal leadership with regards to ensuring organisational resilience.
This study examined personal leadership within the Personal and Professional Leadership (PPL) paradigm and keeping with the social constructionist framework. Data was collected through eight phenomenological interviews with senior executives of SME’s. The data were transcribed and analysed by the researcher and an independent coder using Tesch’s method of open coding. A consensus conversation between the researcher and the independent coder confirmed the findings.
The results showed that the personal leadership experience of senior executives within SME’s with regards to ensuring organisational resilience created pressure. In order to handle this, leaders need support on a personal level as well as on an organisational level. On a personal level, leaders experienced the need to be personally resilient to help ensure organisational resilience. With regards to the organisational level, leaders see the need of designing a resilient organisation. Part of designing a resilient organisation is achieved by creating leadership strategies for sustainable organisational resilience.
These findings were used to create guidelines and practical actions that can help senior executives within SME’s on a personal leadership level with regards to ensuring organisational resilience. Ways to build personal leadership that supports the ensuring of organisational resilience was proposed.
M.Phil.