Women’s Leadership, Emotions, and Innovation in Crisis Management within Family Businesses in Africa

The resilience of family businesses in Africa during crises is often attributed to their ability to blend tradition with innovation, leveraging the strengths of their leadership to navigate uncertainty. Within this context, female leaders are emerging as pivotal figures, bringing distinctive emotional intelligence and innovative crisis-management approaches to crisis management. This study examines the extent to which female leadership, through proactive emotional management, fosters innovation and effective crisis resolution in African family businesses. Drawing insights from 33 semi-structured interviews with female leaders, family business members, and crisis management experts, the research highlights how emotional regulation, empathy, and collaborative decision-making contribute to addressing crises while ensuring organizational sustainability. The findings reveal that female leaders harness their socioemotional strengths to build trust, inspire teams, and innovate under pressure, creating pathways for resilience and long-term success. By exploring these dynamics, the study provides theoretical and practical contributions to understanding the role of gendered leadership in shaping the future of family businesses in Africa.