Exploring middle managers’ lived experience of resilience in response to global crises: A neuropsychotherapy perspective

Abstract

Global crises have become a defining feature of contemporary organisational life, placing sustained psychological and emotional demands on managers. Middle managers occupy a complex position between strategic leadership and operational execution, yet their lived experience of resilience during such crises remains largely underexplored. This study aimed to explore how middle managers experience and make sense of their resilience in response to global crises, through a neuropsychotherapy perspective. A qualitative, exploratory research design was adopted, situated within an interpretivist paradigm. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with middle managers drawn from diverse organisational contexts. Data were analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach, enabling an in-depth exploration of participants’ subjective experiences and meaning-making processes. The findings reveal resilience as a dynamic, embodied, and relational process, shaped by internal neuropsychological regulation, relational support, and contextual organisational factors. Participants described resilience as fluctuating over time, influenced by cumulative stress, identity, sense of self, and perceived containment within their organisational environments. The neuropsychotherapy lens provided a valuable framework for understanding how emotional regulation, cognitive appraisal, and relational safety interact in shaping resilient functioning during periods of sustained uncertainty. VI The study contributes to the literature by offering a nuanced, psychologically informed understanding of managerial resilience in the context of global crises. Practically, the findings highlight the importance of organisational practices that support emotional regulation, relational safety, and reflective capacity among middle managers. Recommendations are made for leadership development, organisational support interventions, and future research.