The COVID-19 pandemic has had an irreversible impact on the higher education sector. The disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic created challenges for university leaders and their stakeholders who needed to reinvent themselves to operate their campuses during the pandemic (Garcia-Morales et al., 2021). The purpose of this study was to conduct research that examines the higher education sector to understand the lived experiences of higher education executive leaders as they led during the pandemic and their perspectives regarding the strategic direction of higher education in the post-pandemic. Using a qualitative phenomenological design with a theoretical framework of Adaptive Leadership Theory, this study collected data through semi-structured interviews with 12 higher education executive leaders from seven Research 1 universities in the United States. The findings of this study revealed that the lived experiences of these leaders were shrouded in uncertainty, as they experienced both success and challenges while leading during the pandemic. Additionally, the study found that participants believe that the pandemic introduced both positive and negative implications for higher education that will continue to impact the sector in the post-pandemic. The findings suggest that future research is needed to gain a more fulsome understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the higher education sector. [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://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]