Leaders do make a difference if they let themselves
‘Leadership at the Edge’ offers leadership Lessons from the Extraordinary Saga of Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition by Dennis N.T. Perkins. Perkins has taken ‘one of the greatest survival stories of all time , one of the most extraordinary Leadership sagas… and translated into a set of powerful strategies for leaders’. It was written in 2000, long before our current economic crisis thus it’s comparison with the hardships faced by Shackleton and his crew seem even more relevant today.
For example, Shackleton and his crew:
- Had their ship crushed by the expanding pack ice
- Were then stranded on the floes of the frozen Weddall Sea
- Had two perilous journeys in open boats in the dangerous and raging Southern Ocean
- Were separated when part of the team were marooned on the forlorn Elephant Island whilst Shackleton and five others went off in search of rescue to South Georgia Island , where a whaling station was located
All this stretched the very limits of human endurance. However under Shackleton, teamwork, self-sacrifice and astonishing good cheer meant that the men did not die, they all survived. And this is the message of the book, that leaders do a make a difference, a critical difference .
‘Exceptional leaders inspire a level of teamwork that can mean the difference between life and death. Today’s business world can be a harsh world like the world of Antarctica:
- Constant and unpredictable change
- Fierce competition
- The complex sale
- Technology trends
- Downsizing
- Mergers etc.
It is in this environment that exceptional leaders can inspire a level of teamwork that can mean the difference between success and failure in the most demanding times. Under conditions of physical danger, this means the difference between life and death. ‘ In a harsh business environment, individuals may not die, but a lack of leadership can spell death for an organisation’.
The book is easy to read and well organised. It provides the Shackleton story and then it is divided into four parts.
Part One
Identifies ten Strategies for Leading at The Edge and also incorporates some modern examples. At the end of each strategy there is an Expedition Log to help you action what they have just read about.
Part Two
Explores Case Studies in Leading at The Edge
Part Three
Dennis N.T. Perkins shares his perspective on what constitutes success or failure and comments on learning the art ‘of leading at The Edge’.
Part Four includes a number of resources, including tools for individual assessment and for further reading about leadership and adventure.
It is a truly inspirational book and Shackleton is now one of my great leadership heroes, because he put his people first, from getting up in the morning and getting them a hot drink, to being the first to do what was being asked and giving away his own gloves in freezing conditions to a team member who needed them more. His men were always his number one priority and he got them back alive. Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to climb Everest and to cross Antarctica successfully, later wrote, ‘When disaster strikes and all hope if gone, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton’.
Think about the leaders within your organisation, including yourself, how well do they(and you measure up) measure up.
What shifts need to take place to make you the best leader you can possibly be?
I believe in today’s world we need Shackleton’s extraordinary leadership skills more than ever and this book tells us how. I cannot recommend it enough – brilliant. Also the film ‘Shackleton’ starring Kenneth Branagh is superb.
Got a lot out of the blog post, write some more.