How to Turn Wounded into Warriors

The ReLeader's Response to Wreckage

On April 18, 2023, a tragic incident occurred in the Financial District of New York City when a parking garage in lower Manhattan collapsed, resulting in one fatality, five injuries, and significant financial losses. The aftermath of such a catastrophe raises questions about the process of rebuilding and the challenges that come with it.

As a ReLeader, my thoughts immediately turned to the daunting task of reconstructing such a structure, with all of the steps, systems, and strategy that would come with it.

In many ways, the organizations we lead, or in some cases, ReLead, can be likened to buildings and structures. Some leaders are called to build, while others are called to ReBuild. Some are called to start, while others are called to ReStart. Similar to the collapsed parking garage, organizations may appear strong and stable from the outside, with intact walls, fresh paint, and a sound roof.

However, upon closer inspection, the inner workings may reveal a different reality and may come crumbling down at any moment. Bare walls, a pervasive stench of toxic mold, collapsing floors, and a multitude of internal issues may plague the organization. It's analogous to encountering someone on the street who appears healthy from the outside, while stage 4 cancer is slowly killing them on the inside.

At some point in every organization, what is happening on the inside, will eventually play out for all to see, and in many cases, there are many innocent bystanders who are wounded.

When a catastrophic event befalls an organization, what can a ReLeader expect? From a construction standpoint, there are hundreds of things that must be addressed. Structural engineers need to inspect the building, assessing the foundation and analyzing what can be repaired versus what must be demolished. There are countless beautiful metaphors to the ReLeader's journey, which we will explore in future publications. However, today, I want to focus on two key steps that I think every ReLeader is tempted to skip.

Search for the Wounded

When the collapse happened in Manhattan, they had no idea who was inside and who was affected by the tragedy. They had to send in teams to search for the wounded. The easiest and safest thing for them to do would have been to bulldoze the building and start over. After all, it is dangerous to go into the unstable environment to search for people that may not even be in there. Instead, they risked their lives, going into the destruction zone to find those who had been hurt by someone else's mistakes. (Hopefully, you're getting ahead of me in this little analogy.)

ReLeaders do not get the luxury of taking the safe route and just bulldozing the organization and rebuilding what was broken with the injured still inside. ReLeaders must actively seek out and support those in their organization who have been wounded and hurt by the fallout. I get it, you didn't cause this building to collapse; you're just the cleanup and rebuild guy. You appeared on the scene, and the damage is done, the rubble is all around you, the loss was catastrophic, and everyone is pointing fingers. You're here to "fix broke stuff."

However, the best ReLeaders are those who are just as concerned about the people as they are about the organization.

Why should I help the wounded heal?

It's not enough to just identify the wounded; you need to take them to the hospital. Yes, leading the wounded through healing is the right thing to do, but I'm also here to share a little secret with all my ReLeaders out there. There are incredible benefits to your ReLeader journey if you will simply slow down and take the time to care for people who are trapped in the rubble of the collapse.

Let's cover a few reasons:

• Morale Boost: Showing that you care for the wounded demonstrates your concern for those under your care. People don't care how much you know as a leader until they know how much you care. The uninjured are watching how you care for the injured and what they see will make them feel safe…boosting the morale of your staff.

• Inspires Trust: Demonstrating care inspires trust in your leadership within the organization. Trust is your greatest asset as a leader. You cannot lead change without it. Taking the time to care for the wounded shows that you care, and in turn, earns you massive deposits of trust for future withdrawals.

• Compounded Loyalty: When you take the time to care for the wounded, they come back stronger than ever, and more loyal than ever. They become your biggest advocates moving forward and they end up leading the charge in future battles. Love them, care for them, and watch them rehab back stronger than ever. They will not only storm the gates of hell with you, they will lead the way.

• The Wounded Become Warriors: In 1 Samuel 22, King David (who was a ReLeader after Saul, by the way) was hiding out in the cave of Adullam. Verse 2 says, "Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him." Think about that: the distressed, indebted, and discontented came to David, and there were 400 of them. These 400 became David's famous "Mighty Men." The Bible says they came to him, and he "became captain over them." He took the time to find the wounded, and brought healing to them, resulting in their transformation into mighty warriors.

ReLeading an organization in the aftermath of a crisis requires strength, resilience, and a deep commitment to honoring the past. By following these steps inspired by the construction world, ReLeaders can navigate the challenges, rebuild what was lost, and pave the way for a successful future. Just as buildings can be damaged in various ways, it is through thoughtful reconstruction that organizations can emerge stronger and better prepared for the road ahead.

Bulldozing with the injured still inside would be one of your greatest mistakes as a ReLeader. Slow down, take your time, and take the wounded to the hospital.