One of my summer reading books was, Shackleton's Way by Margot
Morrell and Stephanie Capparell. Ernest Shackelton was an early 20th century explorer, most well-known for his Antarctic exploration in which he and his crew survived a two year, twelve hundred mile journey.
I have summarized the key leadership points from the book here. How does this relate to you and your position? What is most important?
1- The
Path To Leadership
-
Learned
from his family a broad and sympathetic view of the world that helped to shape
his leadership style
-
Once
a choice was made, he saw his commitments through to the end
-
Read
often to find wisdom and guidance
-
Turn
a setback into an opportunity
-
Learned
from his past mistakes. Experience
taught him the kind of leader he didn’t want to be.
-
Always
put the well-being of his crew first.
2- Hire
an Outstanding Crew
-
Hired
those who shared his vision and enthusiasm for exploration, were reliable, loyal,
optimist, team players, hard workers, and who had the skills and expertise he
lacked
3- Create
a Spirit of Camaraderie
-
Made
himself accessible to his crew, listened to their concerns, and kept them
informed about the ship’s business
-
Shackleton
worked right alongside the men doing the same job
-
Relaxation
and entertainment (celebrations) were critical parts of the schedule
4- Get
the Best from Each Individual
-
To
maintain morale, allow each man to put his personal stamp on his surroundings
-
Made
sure each man had challenging and meaningful work
-
Gave
his men constant feedback, praising their efforts and correcting their mistakes
5- Lead
Effectively in a Crisis
-
Addressed
his men, leaving no doubt that he was in charge and would get them through the
crisis if they would stick together and trust him
-
Made
contingency plans while still being flexible
-
Kept
the malcontent close to him to contain their effect and to try to win them over
-
Kept
a sense of humor
-
Sought
out advice but made final decisions alone
6- Form
Teams for Tough Assignments
-
Intentionally
organized teams around personalities and ability to work together
-
Trusted
his team leaders but always kept an eye on each individual
7- Overcome
Obstacles to Reach a Goal
-
Take
extreme risks when options are narrowed
-
Shook
his companions hands in a gesture of congratulations
