Leadership lessons from the great antarctic explorer

He has been called "the greatest leader
that ever came on God's earth, bar none..." 

Shackleton’s Leadership Practices

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Shipwrecked in Antarctica, Sir Ernest Shackleton faced many of the problems encountered by today’s leaders.  With limited resources, he helped a varied group of people work toward a common goal.  He dealt with naysayers, worriers, the disgruntled and bored, brought order to chaos and successfully led his crew through a grueling two-year ordeal.  

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Leading by Example:

• Put the team’s needs ahead of his own.

• Was very visible in the workplace; took on the hardest jobs himself.  Never asked anyone to work harder than he did.

• Stayed calm in crises.

• Modeled the behavior and attitude he wanted his team to adopt.

• In the face of changing circumstances, kept his plans flexible and backed up his goals with meticulous planning.  He always had more than one contingency plan.

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Communicating Effectively:

• Made sure his team had a realistic assessment of the situation.

• Forged strong bonds with his men through personal, casual, one-on-one conversations.

• During crises, he communicated to the whole crew as a group.

• Offered a plan of action, asked for their support, and reassured them of his faith in a positive outcome.

• Asked for opinions and advice – everyone had a voice – although he made the final decisions.

• Communicated his expectations clearly.

Keeping Up Morale:

• Established an orderly routine that kept everyone productive doing meaningful work.

• Created a sense of community and camaraderie, he encouraged people to work together.

• Never chastised anyone in public. He focused on fixing problems, not on

        punishing people. He praised his crew-members easily and often.

• Looked for opportunities to create pleasant surprises and celebrations, and  built relaxation and entertainment into the daily schedule.

Maintaining a Positive Attitude:

• Recognized the power of optimism and said it was “true moral courage.”

• Insisted on optimism from his crew.

• Faced new circumstances and challenges as adventures – not as obstacles.

• Monitored the pessimists closely to contain their effect on the rest of the group.

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