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Leadership
Leadership under fire: Inside the decision-making that saved Notre-Dame
How quick thinking, strategic choices, and trust in the team kept one of the world’s most iconic landmarks from destruction – lessons every leader can apply in times of crisis.
On April 15, 2019, I arrived at Notre-Dame Cathedral facing one of the most complex operations of my career. The roof of the cathedral, where restoration work had been underway, was engulfed in flames. As the fire spread, it consumed parts of the cathedral that were irreplaceable – the 750-tonne spire (or flèche) later collapsed, and the roof, which had stood for 800 years, was reduced to embers.
This was not just any fire; it was an attack on an icon of French history and culture, and its devastation sent ripples across the world.
Standing there, watching the flames devour Notre-Dame’s roof, I knew each decision I made in the coming hours, as commander of the Paris fire brigade, would carry immense weight. But with years of experience in both firefighting and military operations, I had a sense of how to proceed.
At that moment, I knew the first step was to divide the command structure, separating tactical actions from strategic oversight. I delegated tactical control to my deputy, allowing me to maintain a strategic focus – essential in a high-pressure scenario where I’d be managing not only the safety of the 500 firefighters at the scene but also the expectations of the French public and political leaders, all the way up to President Emmanuel Macron.
Prioritizing in the face of chaos
The most urgent priority when I arrived was to establish a command that allowed us to think clearly under pressure. I knew that the stakes were not only the survival of Notre-Dame’s structure but also its historic treasures inside.
We faced a difficult reality: the roof was already engulfed, and the spire was close to falling. I decided that we had to let certain sections burn if we wanted to focus our resources on two specific goals – saving the cathedral’s iconic towers and preserving its priceless artifacts.
This wasn’t an easy choice. To an outsider, it may have looked like we were letting the flames win, and I knew this would attract criticism. But the real fight was taking place inside the cathedral.
By giving up certain areas of the roof, we bought ourselves precious time to focus on what mattered most. The tactical team attacked the flames from within, an approach that wouldn’t be immediately visible to the onlookers and media gathered outside. But I was certain it was the right call to save as much as we could of this irreplaceable site
“During my years in crisis situations prior to the Notre-Dame fire, I’ve learned that clear thinking under pressure requires trust – in my team, in my training, and in my own judgment.”
Balancing rationality and instinct
In a crisis of this magnitude, instinct and rational thinking must work together. This moment required me to make decisions swiftly, without losing sight of our primary objectives. To help me think clearly, I used a habit I’ve developed over the years in high-stakes operations: I take a blank sheet of paper and jot down my top three priorities.
In those tense moments at Notre-Dame, I found that grounding myself in a few key objectives helped me avoid the chaos around me. The decision to let parts of the roof burn was informed by this process – it was a risk, but it allowed us to protect the cathedral’s core.
During my years in crisis situations prior to the Notre-Dame fire, I’ve learned that clear thinking under pressure requires trust – in my team, in my training, and in my own judgment. Before leading the Paris Fire Brigade, I headed the geopolitical service for France’s Ministry of the Armed Forces and also served in embassies and crisis zones.
I’ve learned that external pressure can cloud decision-making, so I focused on the goals I’d set, remaining steady in the knowledge that I had a capable team executing a plan we believed in.
Managing communication
That was vital because the Notre-Dame fire was not only a physical disaster but also a public crisis, with top officials, the media, and thousands of Parisians watching as flames threatened to consume the cathedral, and the surrounding area on the Île de la Cité in central Paris was evacuated.
In the heat of this moment, I had to communicate effectively with French President Macron and other key officials, updating them on our progress and explaining the reasoning behind our tactics. Years spent briefing officials on geopolitical crises had taught me to be concise – just the critical facts and the rationale for our choices. This was no time for ambiguity. I had to distill a complex situation into clear, essential information.
Briefing leaders during a crisis is always a challenge. In these moments, I knew I needed to communicate in a way that gave the President and other officials a clear sense of the situation without pulling myself away from the task at hand. By being transparent and direct, I hoped to manage their expectations and ensure they understood the logic behind the actions we were taking: in essence, to let the roof burn to save the treasures on the inside.
I had to protect my own thinking and shield myself from the distractions and pressures of the moment
Protecting my thinking
Leadership in such a high-stakes environment requires a great deal of personal resilience. I had to protect my own thinking and shield myself from the distractions and pressures of the moment. Years of building a culture of trust within the Paris fire brigade prepared us for this day. I knew my team could act decisively because we had cultivated an environment where risks and mistakes were treated as learning opportunities.
The Notre-Dame fire followed years of crisis preparation, which became crucial in handling the uncertainty of that night. After the terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015, in which 130 people were killed in multiple attacks across the city in November, we had integrated military-style exercises into our training, pushing our team to adapt to unpredictable scenarios.
These exercises encouraged my team to think creatively. This approach gave them the confidence to make quick, sometimes unconventional decisions when the situation called for it, such as to save the cathedral’s priceless artifacts. It was this culture of innovation and adaptability that equipped us to respond to a fire unlike any we’d seen before.
If there’s one piece of advice I’d give to other leaders, it’s this: trust yourself and the people around you.
Lessons for leading under pressure
Reflecting on that night of the Notre-Dame fire, I am reminded of the importance of leaving ego at the door. Leading in a crisis isn’t about asserting strength but about drawing strength from those around you.
I relied on my deputy to execute the tactical plan and trusted in the team’s training to carry us through. For leaders in any field, the ability to prioritize, communicate, and trust your team are all essential skills when the pressure is on.
If there’s one piece of advice I’d give to other leaders, it’s this: trust yourself and the people around you. The best way to prepare for a crisis is to build that trust long before you need it. At Notre-Dame, we faced extraordinary challenges, but it was our preparation and resilience that saw us through.
No crisis is easy, but with a clear focus on what truly matters and a solid support system, leaders can make decisions with confidence, even when everything is on the line.
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