{"id":49927,"date":"2020-10-26T17:53:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-18T17:53:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=49927"},"modified":"2022-10-26T10:41:58","modified_gmt":"2022-10-26T17:41:58","slug":"how-i-lead-2019-australian-of-the-year-dr-richard-harris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/au\/blog\/how-i-lead-2019-australian-of-the-year-dr-richard-harris\/","title":{"rendered":"How I Lead: 2019 Australian Of The Year Dr Richard Harris"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We’ve all been making our way through the unexpected and unfamiliar for most of the year now, and those in leadership roles have had the added responsibility of bringing their teams through this experience as well. <\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Few are as familiar with leading through the unfamiliar and unexpected as Dr Richard Harris. The Australian anaesthetist landed in Thailand in 2018 as part of an Australian Government assistance program after 12 boys and their soccer coach became trapped 3km deep in a cave, and a former Thai Navy SEAL died attempting a rescue. <\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There, Harry \u2013 as the 2019 Australian of the Year prefers to be called \u2013 was central to the successful rescue of all 12 boys and their coach.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The inspiring story of determination, collaboration and leadership is so relevant to 2020 \u2013 showcasing and revealing how courageous individuals with unique expertise, aligned to the same objective, can solve great challenges.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, Harry shares what he learnt in the Thai cave.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea had been floated previously \u2013 sedating the boys and bringing them out \u2013 but I\u2019d dismissed it out of hand as too risky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we landed in Thailand though as part of the Australian Government\u2019s Medical Assistance Program (AUSMAT), it was clear that drastic options needed to be on the table. The boys and their coach had been trapped for days without food and clean water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We decided to sedate the boys, but I could insist at least on 24 hours to prepare and plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In that time, I dived the length of the cave myself \u2013 I needed to make sure I was comfortable to make the dive \u2013 and met the boys. They were incredibly brave. I planned the sedation method \u2013 an intramuscular injection \u2013 and instructed the rest of the dive team on how to top up the drug about every 45 minutes of the journey out of the cave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/drharry64\/status\/1280838456919244806\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Those divers showed great courage. I feared for the boys\u2019 lives and found it difficult to hand them over, but the British dive team took on great responsibility to care for unconscious kids underwater and to administer a dangerous drug with no experience in difficult circumstances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Courageous leadership is choosing the best option<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I don\u2019t think putting my hand up to rescue those boys was heroic. I was doing two things that I know well and I enjoy \u2014 cave diving and anaesthesia. Courage is doing something that frightens you. Neither of those things frightened me particularly. The decision to sedate the boys though \u2014 that frightened me. I\u2019m proud that I found the courage to make that hard decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes courageous leadership means executing the best option out of a list of less-than-satisfactory options. Courageous leaders also build trust with their teams that they\u2019ll step up in the face of challenges, make a plan in a timely manner and proceed with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Leaders know the power of teamwork<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Finding the right balance between teamwork and the courageous individuals with particular expertise who step up to bring this to the table can be powerful, especially when everyone is aligned to and laser-focused on the objectives. Misalignment creates distractions, diverts focus and causes conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Deciding and acting hinges on trust<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Deciding to do nothing can be more damaging than making a decision to act, even if you\u2019re not fully convinced acting will drive the right outcome. Deciding to act is easier when you have a culture of trust. Transparency and frequent communication when making decisions can be a powerful engine for building trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Allow experts to rise to the challenge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Individuals with unique expertise are rising to and solving challenges, and leaders and teams should lean on these individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Be a generalist and an enthusiast \u2014 you never quite know where it\u2019s going to lead.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n