Leadership and Teamwork During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences of Music Therapy Business Leaders

Abstract

This study investigated the experiences of music therapy private practice business leaders providing services in school, healthcare, and community settings, including clients' homes, during the first 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative content analysis was utilized to analyze semi-structured interview data collected from 10 business leaders (5 CEOs and 5 clinical directors) recruited from 5 businesses. 8 themes were revealed: (1) significant impact shaped by uncertainty and values, (2) temporal dimensions of change, (3) changing dynamics of relationships, (4) issues leading to burnout, (5) unexpected opportunities for all stakeholders, (6) the weight of being responsive, (7) the ambiguity of role changes, and (8) the collective functioning of the clinical team. In the context of leadership and teamwork, these themes illuminated the challenges these business leaders encountered while also providing insights into the importance of collaborative structures, transparent communication, and flexibility integral to leading organizational change. Further, resilience, robustness, and antifragility provide theoretical constructs through which to consider change processes, providing music therapy professionals with the opportunity to consider core leadership, teamwork, and organizational characteristics essential to music therapy teams.

Keywords: COVID-19; leadership; music therapy; organizational change; teamwork.