This week Colleen and David presented on crisis management and I found their lesson interesting. I think a great test of leadership is ones ability to act responsibly and efficiently in crisis situations and make decisions that ensure safety for all.
Their activity was very engaging and really made all of us think. The questions weren't always easy but they were legitimate situations that some of us may find ourselves in when we're in leadership roles someday.
I remember last summer, I was at work one night at my waitressing job. A fellow employee had arrived for her shift earlier in the evening complaining of a headache, and just didn't look like herself. Later in the night she ended up fainting due to dehydration and a high fever, and at the same time, the restaurant was a mad house with a 2 hour wait for a table.
The manager on duty was the owners son, only a year older than myself. I was extremely impressed with the way he handled the situation. He tried as best he could to divert attention from the situation and helped Sue off the floor as soon as he could.. He brought her back to the office and got her water and crackers while she waited for 911. She was extremely embarrassed, but he assured her that everyone was just concerned for her safety. He directed the ambulance to the back door of the restaurant so sue didn't have to exit the building in front of all of the customers and other employees. He brought a free dessert to all of Sue's tables, apologized for the situation, and thanked them for being so patient. As soon as the crowd died down, he called in another manager and went to the hospital to make sure Sue was doing okay.
He made sure that the feelings of both Sue and the customers were taken into account and treated as a priority. He remained calm when the crisis occurred and handled it in a very responsible manner.
These are skills that every leader should have, and I was impressed that he handled it so well being such a young leader.
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