Zelensky files: courage under fire
Authors: Olcott, Jr. Don 
Published: December 2024

This paper explored the long-term leadership of Zelensky given that when the original article The Zelensky Files: Strategies and approaches for university leaders was published, it was still early days in the war. Zelensky, it seemed went from an obscure, challenged peacetime leader to a global ‘Ambassador for Freedom’ in a very short time. Indeed, as noted in the original article, leadership in all its diverse guises is messy, complex, unpredictable, and often enigmatic. Talented leaders fail every day; other average leaders emerge as the right leader for the right reasons and purposes; and perhaps with a little luck become leadership icons. Zelensky exemplifies the latter but, in reality he also is talented and has an instinctive and refined blend of pragmatism and common sense making him the right choice for Ukraine and freedom. Zelensky’s long-term leadership strategies include 1) the leader’s core values and approaches comprise his/her leadership foundation; 2) recognition that leadership decision making is difficult and often heart wrenching; 3) Partnerships are essential strategies for leaders and organizations; 4) the right people in the right positions is more important than talent; and 5) the leader’s singular and only role is to lead. The world of the university seems at times a universe away from the battlefield and yet when we delve down for a closer look, we find the most remarkable alignments where leadership strategies turn out to be fluid, agile, and adaptive to the needs of many diverse leaders and organizations, wartime and peacetime, and beyond. Ukraine’s universities have faced the destruction of war. One in five institutions in Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed. Student enrolments have declined and many foreign students left the country whilst research output overall has been estimated to have declined between 10-18%. Indeed, even with all these challenges, this is where an inspirational, transformative leader who exudes confidence, belief in the cause and love of country during one of the most serious crises in Ukraine’s history since the Holodomor (Ukrainian Famine, 1932-33), can inspire a nation. And, despite the ravages of war, the university doors are open and the classroom lights have remained on in most institutions. The images of students taking online courses in shelters and bunkers whilst others risk their lives sitting by a fountain or in a park for better Internet access all in the name of freedom. The indelible point here is education is freedom. Education is innovation. Education is the future. Education is peaceful revolution. And, education is the heart and soul of the human condition. The Zelensky Files are not a leadership panacea for all the complex issues facing the modern university. A word that may best describe the leadership continuum is kaleidoscope. The kaleidoscope of leadership often seen as a changing array of shapes, sizes and colors. The kaleidoscope of leadership with its changing approaches, strategies and blends over time with the Zeitgeist norms of the era becoming the catalyst for exploring new situational contexts, evolving trends and developments and yet accepting there is no one single silver bullet style of leadership for resolving all issues. The Zelensky Files do, however, contribute to our journey to better understand that elusive, enigmatic endeavor – leadership.