In the early 2010s, the higher education sector in the United States faced unprecedented challenges and disruptions, driven by factors, including technological advancements, demographic shifts, and changing societal expectations. The role of executive leaders in navigating these challenges and guiding their institutions through periods of significant upheaval had been essential in promoting the survival and success of these organizations. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of higher education executive leaders navigating the challenges of disruptive change, particularly during the Decade of Disruption from 2010 to 2020. This study sought to uncover the leadership strategies and behaviors that enabled these leaders to guide their institutions through significant market disruptions and crises. Sixteen university presidents or CEOs with at least 10 years of institutional executive experience participated in semi-structured interviews. The Higher Education Leadership Triad (HELT) model emerged through the thematic analysis of the interview data. HELT is a conceptual model for presenting the complex challenges and executive leadership dynamics in the contemporary higher education market. The findings of this study align with and expand upon several existing leadership theories and concepts, including Change Leadership, Crisis Leadership, Disruptive Innovation, Transformational Leadership, and Followership. [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/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]