All leaders are faced with crisis, complexity and uncertainty at some time.
The unprecedented challenges of the Canterbury Earthquakes required leaders to give every ounce of skill, experience, knowledge, humanity and resilience to help the people of greater Christchurch the best they could.
Ten years on from the end of Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA), a group of senior leaders are sharing what they learned about leading through crisis, complexity, and uncertainty. All now with the benefit of time and perspective.
These insights aren't theoretical. They're hard-won, ground-tested lessons for any leaders dealing with complex, high-pressure situations.
We hope by sharing these lessons, others will add and share their own. Creating more tools and support for leaders dealing with crisis and pressure in any situation.
Leaders Sharing Insights
Senior leaders reflect on what they learned about leading through crisis - with the candour that only comes with time and distance.
Intro video (2mins)
Intro video (2mins)
Leadership through crisis (15mins)
Leading through relationships (15mins)
Michelle's video (title and length TBC)
Michelle Mitchell
Michelle Mitchell, CERA's Deputy Chief Executive Social and Cultural Recovery, shares her insights and thoughts on the recovery and the work of her team. Filmed in 2015.
Michelle Mitchell - title and length TBC
Practical Guides
Downloadable guides summarising the insights shared by leaders in the videos. Each covers what the leaders did, tried, and learned - and what they'd suggest to others.
Top Tips
Short resources outlining leaders' top tips on crisis-related leadership hot topics.
About This Project
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) was established in 2011 to lead and coordinate the Government's response and recovery efforts following the devastating earthquake sequence of 2010 and 2011 in Greater Christchurch. CERA was disestablished in 2016.
In 2026, a group of senior CERA leaders came together to reflect on their experience - not to tell the official history, but to share the practical, human realities of leading through an unprecedented crisis.
This project captures those reflections as a resource for current and future leaders in emergency management, public sector leadership, and any field where people must lead through complexity and uncertainty.
We hope by sharing these lessons, others will add and share their own.
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