Initiative in the Impossible Situation.

It’s been 25 years since Australia sent a contingent to support the UN Mission during the civil troubles in Rwanda. As the public pressure mounted for the Australian Government and the world to do something, a United Nations intervention was initiated and put in place.

Australia sent a contingent of some 100 plus Defence Force personnel. Right from the beginning, this UN Mission had disaster written all over it.

There was no clear mission and, most importantly, the UN ensured that the UN Rwanda mission had no powers to intervene in the civil violence.

The photo in this Thursday’s thoughts is that of Trooper Jonathan Church carrying an injured Rwandan child that was found in the UN administered refuge camp at Kibeho, Rwanda. Over 2000 Rwandan civilians were massacred and an even larger number were wounded.

Trooper Church found the child clinging to his dead mother. Churchie was part of the Australian component of the UN Rwanda mission.

The Australian contingent was ordered by the UN, not to intervene while the killing was going on. What they did do, was go in and recover and treat as many of the wounded and injured to the best of their ability and provide some sort of protection.

Confronted with an impossible situation, the Australian contingent went through the camp, recovered and treated as many of the wounded as they possibly could and provided what little shelter, food and water they had available.

Most importantly, the Australians provided safety to those who had been recovered. There were some tense verbal exchanges between those who committed the crimes. They backed off when firmly told by the Australians they would take action if prevented from recovering the injured.

What Churchie and the Australian contingent did, was exercise their initiative in an impossible situation – and did it superbly. The courage of these Aussies remains something to be beholden even today

I learned a great deal from this; the fact these Australians, while facing an impossible situation, took the initiative and did something positive. As a result, several hundred lives were saved. Remarkable.

We will face situations that we consider impossible; but taking the initiative, will generate a result. We don’t know what that result will be, but it’s a result.

Leadership Lesson: Sometimes one is confronted with an impossible situation where the initiative must be taken. If faced with an impossible situation, take the initiative. It takes courage, it does wonders….and it’s worth it.

Philip Wagner is a contrarian leadership educator and practitioner, serving Army Officer and developer of Leader IQ. - He can be contacted at phil@philipwagner.com.au or 0419 001 911