Shane Fitzsimmons
Commissioner of Resilience NSW
The 2019-20 bushfire season scorched 5.5 million hectares of land, destroyed 2,500 homes, and took 26 lives: all in the Australian state of New South Wales. As fires raged along the length of the state, Shane Fitzsimmons, then Commissioner of New South Wales Fire Service, was responsible for pulling thousands of volunteers and citizens through the crisis.
At Infosys APAC Confluence 2021, Shane Fitzsimmons, now the Head of Resilience (NSW), spoke about the dimensions of leadership during times of crises – from the importance of empathy in bringing people together, to making quick decisions with technology.
Key Takeaways
Authenticity over authority
Authority may get tasks checked off lists, but authenticity brings people together to move mountains. During times of crises, being upfront and honest about where you are, what can be done, and what can’t, drives trust, confidence and ultimately, better decisions.
There is no calm without focus
Overreactions can undo your control over a situation. But a single-minded focus on what matters in the moment can help you stay calm to analyse your options and contemplate consequences. Focus leads to clarity, which helps you better navigate your next move.
A B C: Always be caring
From being empathetic and authentic, to communicating why you did or couldn’t do something, caring about the people you work with and for is a crucial and underrated aspect of crisis leadership. The result is a mutual sense of respect that keeps people going.
Data drives better decisions
Quick decision-making is the need of every hour during a crisis. Inputs and data brought together from various sources help you understand the variables involved, assess the impact of all options, and operationalise decisions with speed and efficiency.
It’s not about you. It’s about your team, about your peers, your subordinates, your supervisors. And most importantly, during the fires, it was about the people of New South Wales.
