The literature confirms that COVID-19 disrupted what was once considered normal. Evidence of lived experiences is emerging, creating a pattern of learned lessons that, if critically assessed, can lead to a better understanding of what happened globally. This integrative literature analysis (review) is among many other studies that evaluated how higher education (HE) leaders responded to COVID-19, specifically, government-imposed prevention and elimination strategies and the lessons learned. Eleven articles were selected following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Mata-Analysis (PRISMA) protocol and treated as case studies for analysis. The findings indicate that the most frequently used leadership responses were "transitioned to remote learning/teaching," "collaborated/planned," "followed COVID-19 policies," "communicated," and "pivoted operations." Meanwhile, "collaborative/distributive," "mindful," and "innovative" leadership were the most frequently used styles. Further, in times of crisis, HE leaders ought to be mindful, innovate, and collaborate to manage their resources effectively and efficiently. As a crisis progresses, a leader's responses will be bound by the immediate cause, other internal and external forces, their beliefs, and available resources, creating a context that requires a continuum of reflexive (adaptive) leadership styles. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]