This document summarizes key lessons from leaders who successfully led through crises. It discusses the Chilean mining accident rescue led by Laurence Golborne as an example. The document outlines five main lessons: 1) connect to core values and purpose, 2) clearly articulate beliefs, 3) unleash leadership within the organization, 4) build relational trust, and 5) involve all stakeholders to develop solutions. The overall message is that failure is not an option when leading through crises, and these principles can help ensure success.

1. Creating Sustainable
Systematic School Change
Wafa Hozien, Ph.D.
Virginia State University
whozien@vsu.edu
Based on the Book: Why Failure Is Not An Option

2. Chapter 1: Why Failure is NOT an Option:
An Example From Chile
Read Full case: http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/how-to-lead-duringa-crisis-lessons-from-the-rescue-of-the-chilean-miners/

3. • Detailed study of leaders in the act of making decisions has often proven
unusually challenging. Organizational leaders communicate in public but
decide in private. As a consequence, in the words of one inside observer,
“most executive decisions produce no direct evidence of themselves.” The
executive decisions of Laurence Golborne during the rescue of the 33 miners
thus offers an unusual opportunity, since he and his top team members
agreed in interviews to describe the decisions they made during the rescue..
• The focus is the person who led the rescue effort, Golborne. Two others
played critical roles: Chilean president Sebastian Piñera and crew foreman
Luis Urzúa. Piñera insisted on searching for the miners at all costs, provided
consistent support to Golborne and closely supervised the rescue efforts.
Trapped with the miners, Urzúa helped form them into a microsociety to
ration food, preserve morale and prepare for rescue. Though their decisions
are very instructive, they are beyond our space and scope here.
Chilean Miners
From: http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/how-to-lead-during-a-crisislessons-from-the-rescue-of-the-chilean-miners/

5. Failure is NOT an Educational Option
• The ability to articulate a clear and compelling message
to all educational stakeholders- inside and outside of the
school building – is the beginning of moral purpose.
(Fullan, 2001)

6. • Education in key to
developing human capital.
The nature of our education
system-whether mediocre or
excellent- will influence
society into the future.
• Education affects not only
the economy but also the
civic and cultural life
(Ravitch, 2011).

7. The Passion to Persevere

8. Lessons From Leaders in the Field
• Lesson 1: Connect With
Your Core: a deep
connection to one’s core
values inspired by a great
personal relationship or
contact.

9. • Consider how one overriding idea strategically chosen
and aligned to the “core” of the leader and thousands of
employees

10. • Lesson 2: Articulate and Act on Beliefs
Once the “core connection” is made, it becomes easier to state a clear
and compelling commitment.

11. • Once the tenet of no-failure becomes the clear picture of
a core group of leaders, it begins to spread and develop in
a manner that reflects the character of the new owners.

12. • Value-based commitments tend to be unwavering, and
eventually they must connect to commitments by the
larger group, fueled by their belief in what can be
achieved.

13. • Lesson 3: Unleash the
Leadership Within
• Effective leaders…
(1)Intuitively root themselves
and their learning
communities in their core
beliefs or common purpose,
and then
(2)Build the team that can
shape the culture to…

14. 3. …support collective teacher efficacy (CTE), which
4. …sustain student success

15. • Lesson 4: Create Cultures of Relational Trust
Principals must rely more heavily on the face-to-face relationships than
on bureaucratic routines…the most powerful incentives reside in
the…relationships among people in the organization. (Elmore, 2000)

16. • Trust is built on taking tough actions in a fair, truthful,
and data-based manner.
• Trust is built on truth.

17. • Lesson 5: Tap the Answers
in the Room

18. • In schools, the product is learning by using an agreedupon set of measures. The process to achieve that product
includes pedagogy, creation of positive school climate
and so forth. The people are all those involved with the
process. To tap the answers that lie within a school and
make excellence the norm, we must create a solid process
that brings people together to achieve a commonly
defined aim or outcome.
Come Together

19. Maintaining a Collaborative Learning
Community While Introducing Teacher
Evaluation and Merit Pay

20. • Strategies:
• Move toward the danger
• Maintain trust by
communicating fully and
transparently
• Focus on the work

21. • Rename, reframe and own
the initiative
• Meet new demands with
support
• Create a consistent
instructional processes
• Engage staff formally and
continuously

22. • Blankstein, Alan M. (2004). Failure Is Not an Option:
Six Principles That Advance Student Achievement in
Highly Effective Schools. Thousand Oaks, Calif. :
Corwin.
• Useem, Michael; Jordán, Rodrigo; and Koljatic, Matko .
(August 2011) How to Lead During a Crisis: Lessons
From the Rescue of the Chilean Miners. Retrieved
From: http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/how-to-leadduring-a-crisis-lessons-from-the-rescue-of-the-chileanminers/
References