Situational Leadership as a Managerial Adaptation Strategy in Dealing with Organizational Crisis in the Education Office
JEL Classification: D23, H83, M10, M12, M14.
Abstract
This study examines the dynamics of situational leadership as an instrument of managerial adaptation in responding to various organizational crises at the South Sulawesi Provincial Education Office. Amidst an era of disruption characterized by digital system failures, budgetary regulatory complexities, and geographical hurdles in remote areas, a leader's ability to transition their leadership style emerges as a determinant factor for organizational resilience. Employing a qualitative approach with an intrinsic case study design, data were gathered through in-depth interviews with strategic leaders and operational staff directly involved in crisis management. The findings reveal that leaders elastically shift between a directing style (S1) at the peak of a crisis and a delegating style (S4) in remote operational regions, based on a meticulous diagnosis of staff's task and psychological maturity levels (M1-M4). A unique contribution of this research is the identification of the role of Bugis Makassar local wisdom values Sipakatau (humanizing one another), Sipakainge (reminding one another), and Sipakalebbi (mutual respect) as moderating variables that provide a humanistic dimension to bureaucratic management. These values serve as functional lubricants that mitigate resistance and strengthen team cohesion, ensuring that firm actions during crises remain grounded in human dignity. The study concludes that the effectiveness of crisis management in the public sector depends not only on the leader's technical proficiency but also on cultural intelligence capable of harmonizing managerial flexibility with the depth of local human values.
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