Leadership Strategies from the Chilean Desert

As the world watched while each of 33 Chilean miners were freed from the caved-in mines, it occurred to me that their hope, courage, resiliency and perseverance offered relevant lessons that any manager could embrace.

In a crisis, a leader should take charge quickly, pull in diverse resources and pick the very best to resolve the problem. The Chilean government didn’t waste time negotiating with the mining company. Rather, the government stepped in and asked the world to bring their experts, then built an experienced and skilled team that included scientists from NASA, South African construction professionals, cabling experts from Germany, and Canadian oil drillers among others.

Leaders should never lose hope, and they shouldn’t let their team lose hope either. Both President Piñera above ground and foreman Urzua below ground kept spirits up despite overwhelmingly dire circumstances.

Lead by keeping the team focused on solving the problem. Case scenarios were devised with team members helping at every step. Each person had a task to accomplish and was held accountable for their part in their survival, in avoiding possible health risks in the mine, and more. The groups above and below ground were focused on solutions for every scenario. Finger pointing was not permitted, as it would be a distraction to accomplishing the mission. The country, the media and family members kept criticism to a minimum until after the rescue, because they were all united on reaching the goal.

Leaders need to communicate goals and responsibilities to each team member, particularly during times of crisis. Trapped miners and rescue personnel were well informed of issues that might come up during drilling, rescue efforts and post rescue issues. Leaders should balance their communication by encouraging the group to express ideas and experience without letting them undermine their authority.