Purpose

Research on leaders’ knowledge management systems focuses exclusively on how leaders gather and disseminate knowledge in collaboration with external actors. Not much is known about how leaders address the psychological aspects of employees and strategize internal communication. In addition, while previous work has treated high uncertainty as a default feature of crisis, this study aims to propose that perceived uncertainty varies in experience/meaning and has a crucial bearing on the relative balance of cognitive/emotional load on the leader and behavioral/psychological responses.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors contribute by qualitatively examining the role of leader knowledge systems in designing communication strategies in the context of the COVID-19 crisis by investigating communication characteristics, style, modes and the relatively unaddressed role of compassion/persuasion. In this pursuit, the authors interviewed 21 C-suite leaders, including chief executive officers, chief marketing officers, chief financial officers, chief human resource officers and founders, and analyzed their data using open, axial and selective coding, which were later extracted for representative themes and overarching dimensions.

Findings

Drawing from grounded theory research, the authors present a framework of knowledge systems and their resultant communication with employees in high uncertain and low uncertain crises. The authors highlight interactions of a set of concepts – leaders’ preparedness, leaders’ support to employees tailored communication adapted to perceived uncertainty, leading to enhanced trust – in the achievement of outcomes related to balancing operational and relational systems with employees. The findings suggest that a structured process of communication helps employees mitigate any concern related to uncertainty and feel confident in their leadership.

Originality/value

The research has implications for leaders in managing their knowledge systems, for human esources practitioners in designing effective internal communication programs, as well as for scholars in knowledge management, communication and leadership.

中文翻译：

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领导者在高不确定性和低不确定性危机中制定沟通策略的知识系统：平衡运营和关系结果

目的

对领导者知识管理系统的研究专门关注领导者如何与外部参与者合作收集和传播知识。关于领导者如何解决员工的心理问题并制定内部沟通策略，人们知之甚少。此外，虽然以前的工作将高度不确定性视为危机的默认特征，但本研究旨在提出，感知的不确定性在经验/意义上有所不同，并且对领导者认知/情感负荷和行为/行为的相对平衡具有至关重要的影响。心理反应。

设计/方法论/途径

作者通过调查沟通特征、风格、模式以及相对未解决的同情/说服作用，定性研究了领导者知识系统在 COVID-19 危机背景下设计沟通策略中的作用。为此，作者采访了 21 位高管，包括首席执行官、首席营销官、首席财务官、首席人力资源官和创始人，并使用开放、轴向和选择性编码分析了他们的数据，这些数据随后被提取用于代表性主题和总体维度。

发现

作者借鉴扎根理论研究，提出了一个知识系统框架及其在高不确定性和低不确定性危机中与员工的沟通。作者强调了一系列概念的相互作用——领导者的准备、领导者对员工的支持、适应感知的不确定性的定制沟通、从而增强信任——在实现与员工平衡运营和关系系统相关的结果方面。研究结果表明，结构化的沟通过程有助于员工减轻与不确定性相关的担忧，并对自己的领导能力充满信心。

原创性/价值

这项研究对于领导者管理知识系统、人力资源从业者设计有效的内部沟通计划以及知识管理、沟通和领导力方面的学者都有影响。