Appreciating Your Team
Recently I watched a documentary on an executive in a high profile and stressful position. Curious about how his career progressed, I looked him up. He'd quit his super-glamorous position after three years. At the time, the press was mystified as to why he would resign from the prestigious position when he seemed to have everything - fame, fortune - and to be at the peak of his career.
As I read the accounts, a statistic from a landmark Gallup survey came to mind - the #1 reason people quit their jobs is that they don't feel appreciated.
A quote from geologist Professor G. Vibert Douglas on Shackleton's Quest expedition provides a clear explanation of why Shackleton's teams thought so highly of him as a leader...
“…He led mentally and physically and gave a sense to the individual that he, the individual, was a most important part of the whole show.
I’d say Shackleton was very generous in his acknowledgement of his men. There was a warmth about him. He led, he did not drive.”