Dr Youlan Li

This study investigates how crisis leadership is enacted in the hospitality sector by identifying key competencies and mapping their application across the crisis lifecycle. Based on in-depth interviews with 22 hotel leaders in the UK and China, this study develops a three-stage process model—pre-crisis, in-crisis, and post-crisis—that reconceptualises crisis leadership as a dynamic and cyclical practice. Eight interdependent competencies are identified, including emotional regulation, ethical considerations, and strategic thinking. The findings extend Riggio and Newstead's framework and operationalise complexity leadership theory within a high-touch, high-stakes service context. Advancing a psychologically and ethically grounded model of crisis leadership, the study provides both a theoretical reframing and practical guidance for enhancing organisational preparedness, legitimacy, and post-crisis resilience in the hospitality sector.