Exploring the Emotional Experiences during Organizational Change: A Leader and Followers Perspective

Abstract

This paper explores leader and followers’ emotions in relation to the specific context of change in one of the public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A qualitative approach has been used to understand the way individuals interpret situations and emotions during the change process. Data has been collected from a leader and nineteen followers through semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data was analyzed through thematic analysis to see the emergent patterns and to gain deeper insights on the way the leader and the follower interpreted situated emotions. The respondents reported mixed emotions in relation to the change process that were highly interpretive and were manifested in three main situations: when followers felt excluded from the change process; when leader encouraged followers to accept and implement change; and when they feared repercussions of their unwillingness to accept change. This study theoretically and empirically contributes to the change management literature by demonstrating the manifestation of lived emotions during dynamic and processual change. It highlights that the lens of emotions can help to understand the micro-processes involved in the change process that is often overlooked in the change and change management literature.