LUIZ URZUA – A KEEPER OF HOPE
Are leaders born, or are they made? This debate has been going on since time immemorial and will continue for generations to come. However, one thing is for sure. Born or made, the real leader has to accept the responsibility of taking care of his/her people when the situation demands.
Such was the case with Luis Urzua. A shift foreman, Urzua and his group of Chilean miners went about their work on the ill-fated day of 05 August 2010, when tragedy fell upon them without notice.
While doing their task, the miners got trapped below the surface of the Atacama desert. About 700 meters underground, the 33 miners were left with no hope except for a miracle or for their supervisor Urzua to do something miraculous, or both.
Like a true leader, Urzua took charge within moments of the mine collapse. He quickly ordered his men to gather and huddle. He took 3 miners and started scouting up the tunnel. Every second being a potential death trap, Urzua and his 3 miners searched for information in the huge cave-in.
Using his intuition, Urzua came to the conclusion that the men were trapped. He was right. He quickly devised a set of rules that, though rigid, was essential for the men’s survival – 2 tablespoons of Tuna fish and half a glass of milk every 48 hours were to be utilised from the mine’s stash of emergency food.
Urzua used his skills and training as a topographer to make detailed maps of the underground world and the miners’ position. The work included more than two kilometres of tunnels, caves and a long-metered refuge. On the other hand, rescuers spent around sixteen days in frustrated attempts to drill a hole through the mine.
Urzua’s showed his brilliant leadership acumen by rotating his people through shifts, thus not completely exhausting everybody at the same time. In another brilliant move of skilful leadership at its best, Urzua kept turning on the lights of underground machinery. This move replicated daylight for several hours and allowed the men to take heart by seeing each other, talking to each other and being together in days of peril.
The situation was getting worse day by day. It had been 17 days, and the miners were still trapped underground. People on the ground had given up all hope and presumed them dead. It was only on the 17th day that a drill probe finally reached them. Members of the rescue and people all around burst into jubilant ecstasy when they received a note from the miners that all 33 of them were safe. All 33 of them were rescued safely. Urzua was the last one to be winched to the top.
The Chilean President Sebastian Pinera hugged each miner as they were rescued and finally, when it was Urzua’s turn, the President hugged him for the longest calling him ‘a good Captain’.
An estimated 1 billion people worldwide were glued to their seats at their homes, offices and on the streets when they watched the rescue operation on television. One billion people also got an opportunity to witness and see the test of true leadership with their own eyes – live. It was the first known rescue of its kind from that depth (from the jaws of death) in the entire history of underground accidents that mankind had witnessed thus far.
In times of crisis, the most important outcome a leader needs to provide to his/her team is hope. Without hope, people will not do what they are otherwise capable of doing. Also, in crisis, the leader must demonstrate that he/she is in control. Failure to demonstrate control will result in chaos. But most importantly, in such times, the leaders must demonstrate that he/she is willing to do more / endure more than anyone else in the team. Inspiration is just not words. It has to be backed by action.
Suggested further reading:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/05/luis-urzua-chile-trapped-miners
https://www.fastcompany.com/1695338/chiles-president-luis-urzua-you-acted-good-boss
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/Mission-accomplished-All-33-miners-rescued-in-Chile/article15780043.ece