An Unexpected Lesson Learned

Recently, two former school principals were witnesses to a deadly accident. Well, not exactly witnesses.  Let me explain.

First, the two former principals were in a public (not a school) venue when they heard a commotion in an area where they knew there were children. Both principals, without looking at the other, ran towards the commotion, when at the time, the crowds were running away from the area.

When they got to the crisis area, the people who remained were figuratively frozen.  The two principals took positions on opposite sides of the event and started ordering people to exit the area, physically pulling people towards safety.

The principals were unable to ensure everyone’s safety, but they definitely reduced the number of people adversely effected by the incident.

Here was what the two principals took away from the incident.  

1. The principalship is great training for crisis management.

The event was outside the scope of any formal training that the two principals had, but the assuming command in a chaotic situation was a reflex action for both of them.

2. If the best case scenario is a bad, learn from the incident and move on. 

There was a fatality.  And with 20/20 hindsight, the two principals could have done a few things slightly different.  But the bottom line is their response, at the very least, prevented others from being injured and/or traumatized. And as the first responders (or in this case the second responders) reminded the principals, in some cases, reducing a loss is the only win.   

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

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