Lessons In Leadership From Earnest Shackleton
I have read extensively, on the lives, characteristics and leadership styles of all the great leaders including: Alexander the Great, Montgomery, Elizabeth 1st, Churchill, Gandhi, Mandella, Luther-King et al (the list is pretty extensive)
Lessons In Leadership From Earnest Shackleton
Lessons In Leadership From Earnest Shackleton
Lessons In Leadership From Earnest Shackleton
Lessons In Leadership From Earnest Shackleton
However, the one that earns my many respect and the one with whom I feel the many affinity is Shackleton because I have learned so much from his style of leadership - characteristics that I have endeavoured to consolidate within my own supervision style.
Sir Ernest Shackleton has been called "the many leader that ever came on God's earth bar none" for salvage the lives of twenty-seven men stranded with him on an Antarctic ice floe for approximately two years.
From 1914 to 1916 Shackleton and his men survived the wreck of their ship Endurance, in the crushing Antarctic ice, stranded twelve hundred miles from civilisation with no means of transportation and no hope of rescue. The temperatures were so low the men could hear the ice freeze. They subsisted on a diet of penguins, seals and finally dogs.
When the ice began to break up, Shackleton set out to save them all on a heroic eight-hundred mile trip across the frigid South Atlantic - in dinky more than a rowboat.
Unlike most of the polar expeditions, every man survived - not only in good health, but also in good spirits - all due to the leadership skills of Shackleton.
So What Are The Leadership Lessons We Can Learn?
Here are just a few that I have adopted;
- Cultivate a sense of compassion and accountability for others. As a leader you have a bigger impact on the lives of those under you than you can imagine.
- Once a work decision has been made, commit to stick it out straight through the tough studying period.
- Play your part in creating an upbeat environment: A inescapable and vibrant workplace is leading to productivity.
- Broaden your cultural and collective horizon beyond your normal experiences. studying to see life from different perspectives will give you greater flexibility when it comes to problem solving at work
- We live in a rapidly changing world so be willing to ventive in new directions to seize new opportunities and learn new skills
- Find ways in which to turn setbacks and failures to your advantage. This represents a good time to step transmit on your own
- Be bold in foresight and truthful in planning. Dare to try something new, but be truthful with your proposal so that your ideas have a good opportunity of succeeding
- Learn from your mistakes - yours and those made by others. Sometimes the best teachers are the worst bosses.
- Never insist on achieving a goal or objective at any cost. It must be achieved at a uncostly expense, without undue hardship on your staff
- Don't be drawn into collective disputes with rivals. Better to engage in respectful competition. Remember you may need their co-operation someday
Copyright © 2006 Jonathan Farrington. All rights reserved
Lessons In Leadership From Earnest Shackleton