When St. Louis becomes covered in snow, Mother Nature usually takes care of the cleanup by following the snowfall with warmer temperatures that handle melting. Usually. Such was not the case earlier this month when the city faced a major storm, followed by two weeks of freezing weather. It did not go well.
“This was an atypical storm, and we know it took us too long to move away from a typical response,” said the mayor’s spokesperson, two weeks after the first flakes fell. Contriteness feels like an excuse that far into the crisis.
Leadership is in place precisely for atypical situations; the normal stuff people can handle on their own. Leadership initiates extraordinary measures (as did other areas that had private contractors ready to go, or as in Kansas City, where the city manager personally drove a plow) and breaks down barriers quickly.
When things are at their worst, leaders need to be at their best to do whatever it takes, not shovel on the excuses when they fail to adequately respond.
Thanks, Brian!
