The purpose of this research is to develop a theoretical understanding of indirect leadership in a severely stressful peacekeeping context, focusing on the perspective of subordinates. Peacekeeping missions in recent decades have led to increased exposure to acute danger.
Retrospective in‐depth interviews were carried out with 17 Norwegian officers and soldiers, who were involved in the handling of a violent riot in Kosovo during a peacekeeping mission. The interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory approach.
A model emerged with three categories: Situational Characteristics, Organizational Characteristics, and the Commander's Intent. A related core category was labelled Subordinates' Appraisal or Sensemaking. During the climax of the riot, a strict following of the ordinary chain of command was impractical. Local initiatives at lower organizational levels were needed, but these, in turn, required competence and a trustful organizational environment.
Not representative of the entire population. Given the male‐dominated military context under consideration, there could be no meaningful analysis of possible gender‐related differences. The results related to a general model of indirect leadership and specific stress. Organizational theory‐related additions and limitations are suggested.
The proposed model may be a practical tool for management education.
The study's identification of key aspects of indirect leadership in severely stressful contexts is a useful addition to the literature.
