On February 27, 2010, Chile was rocked by a violent earthquake five
hundred times more powerful than the one that hit Haiti just six weeks
prior. The Chilean earthquake devastated schools, hospitals, roads, and
homes, paralyzing the country for weeks and causing economic damage that
was equal to 18 percent of Chile's GDP. This calamity hit just as an
incumbent political regime was packing its bags and a new administration
was preparing to take office. For most countries, it would have taken
years, if not decades, to recover from such an event. Yet, only one year
later, Chile's economy had reached a six percent annual growth rate.
In Leadership Dispatches, Michael Useem, Howard Kunreuther, and Erwann
Michel-Kerjan look at how the nation's leaders--in government, business,
religion, academia, and beyond--facilitated Chile's recovery. They
attribute Chile's remarkable comeback to a two-part formula consisting
of strong national leadership on the one hand, and deeply rooted
institutional practices on the other. Coupled with strategic,
deliberative thinking, these levers enabled Chile to bounce back quickly
and exceed its prior national performance. The authors make the case
that the Chilean story contains lessons for a broad range of
organizations and governments the world over.
Large-scale catastrophes of many kinds--from technological meltdowns to
disease pandemics--have been on the rise in recent years. Now is the
time to seek ideas and guidance from other leaders who have triumphed in
the wake of a disaster. In this vein, Leadership Dispatches is both a
remarkable story of resilience and an instructive look at how those with
the greatest responsibility for a country, company, or community should
lead.
