Shackleton's Way: Leadership Lessons from the Great Antarctic Explorer

by Margot Morrell

Another reason that Shackleton seems a man for the present is that we've grown weary of the culture of victimization and despair and are searching for leaders who are survivors and optimists and are able to lead us into a new era.

All these changes demand new leadership skills. Shackleton-style leadership. Shackleton's strategy is the antithesis of the old command-and-control models. His brand of leadership instead values flexibility, teamwork, and individual triumph.

Shackleton was an average person; he taught himself how to be an exceptional one. He rose above his peers and earned the unfailing loyalty of his men. His story is, in its essence, an inspirational tale about unleashing strengths in individuals that they never knew they had in order to achieve goals— from the small to the miraculous.

The book also demonstrates how to handle crises, particularly how to break bad news, to bolster morale, and to quickly change course in the face of the unexpected. Shackleton's example also shows the importance of injecting humor and fun into work, how to bond with a staff without losing status as the boss, and when to nurture.

reaching beyond expectations.

Shackleton's wisdom is by no means simple or obvious. Much of it is counterintuitive, especially for those schooled in more conventional management tactics. Shackleton served tea in bed to the ship's crybaby, flattered the egomaniacs, and kept close to him the most abrasive personalities. Often, he made great personal sacrifices. Sometimes he led by not leading at all.

"One of the great advantages of reading fiction or history is it gives you the opportunity to understand the world from different vantage points and different time periods and different psychologies,"

Shackleton model works on many levels: leadership in response to danger and adversity, working in extreme environments, surviving unforeseen challenges, flexibility in planning, and gaining and retaining the loyalty of those in your command.

Through great danger and under tremendous pressure, the explorer kept his crew together, maintained morale, and improved on his escape plans until he got everyone to safety, Mr. Danzig says. He particularly admires what he identifies as Shackleton's thoughtfulness, in every sense of the word: "He was thoughtful in the emotional sense— he was empathetic and caring. He was also thoughtful in the cognitive sense— he thought logically even while under great stress."

In 1999, he helped get Congress to approve the largest pay raise for the navy and marine corps in fifteen years. He also reversed the "zero defect" promotion policy, in order to advance "the best people, not the most immaculate records."

He says his own philosophy of how troops should be treated follows the Shackleton tradition and is another reason he held the seminar on the explorer. He says he has tried to instill among navy and marine officers "a richer sense that our enlisted people are professionals, and that they should be treasured, and their loyalty earned and retained."

"Optimism is true moral courage," stayed up through the entire 1998 sell-off, Mr. Cramer says.

Nothing sums up Shackleton's way of building unity better than the dinner table, where he sought to nourish body and soul. He used meal times to chat and joke with the men, to hear their ideas, to relax as comrades rather than as boss and staff.

Shackleton was far ahead of his time, Mr. Miller says— more democratic than his peers, and more responsive to individual needs. His methods and ideas about the structure of work are only now coming into wide acceptance, he adds, as "organizations have become more horizontal and less hierarchical."

More open organizations have become possible, he believes, as the economy has come to be driven by the technology and service sectors and has moved away from traditional heavy manufacturing. He notes, in particular, the way leaders at Intel and other Silicon Valley companies were pioneers in abolishing the symbols and perks of stratified organizations, such as closed-door offices and privileged parking spaces near the front door for executives only.

Now, he adds, it's commonplace for even CEOs to be on a first-name basis with ...

Shackleton knew when "to encourage a little celebration and enjoyment of something that the men would consider a delicacy," he says, noting that the men look surprisingly well in photographs taken during the Endurance expedition. "He was able to join in and participate in both fun and labor without the sacrifice of authority and respect,"

He has witnessed enormous change in the workplace over the course of his career, few more significant than the empowerment of individuals within the corporation. The gradual blurring of rigid lines of command, with managers and their subordinates working on a more equal footing, "encourages self-reliance and resiliency," he says. Today, employees are expected to exercise initiative; they seldom wait passively for marching orders from headquarters. There simply isn't time for old-style, hierarchical patterns of decision making.

"Spirit, energy, and change."

He led, he did not drive. — G. Vibert Douglas, geologist, Quest

Shackleton took an interest in the professional and personal development of every man on his crew. As part of his effort to make all of them well-rounded seamen, he made sure everyone kept meeting new challenges.

"Shackleton at this time showed one of his sparks of real greatness. He did not rage at all, or show outwardly the slightest sign of disappointment; he told us simply and calmly that we must winter in the pack, explained its dangers and possibilities; never lost his optimism, and prepared for winter."

Ultimately, Shackleton won the crew's unwavering loyalty with his extraordinary ability to communicate and connect personally. His contact with his men was constant, friendly, instructive, and often fun. "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," wrote G. Vibert Douglas, Quest geologist. "I'd say Shackleton was very generous in his acknowledgement of his men. There was a warmth about him."

The Boss never insisted on uniformity. He preferred creative thinkers to workers who were merely competent.

Shackleton made sure each man had challenging and meaningful work.

Shackleton matched personality types with work responsibilities.

Shackleton gave his men constant feedback, praising their efforts and correcting their mistakes.

Shackleton related to every person under him as a human being, not only as a worker.

Shackleton held small celebrations that recognized the individual.

Shackleton was tolerant of people's quirks and foibles. He didn't hesitate to pamper his men.

SHACKLETON'S WAY OF DEVELOPING INDIVIDUAL TALENT

Create a work environment comfortable enough to entice professionals to spend the greater part of their waking hours there. Allow for some personal preferences.

Be generous with programs that promote the well-being of your staff. Healthy bodies and ...

Make sure each employee has challenging and important work. Even the lowest-ranking workers must feel they are making a valuable and ap...

Match the person to the position. Be observant of the types of people who are working for you and what jobs might best suit their pers...

Give consistent feedback on performance. Most workers feel they don't get nearly enough words ...

Strive for work relationships that have a human as well as professional element. No matter how large your company, get to know as many employees as possible. Memorize their interest...

Reward the individual as well as the group. Public acknowledgment of a job well done— a birthday or a work anniversary— will...

Be tolerant. Know each employee's strengths and weaknesses, and set reasonable expectations. Occasionally indulging individuals, even if you think they're being too needy, can have a pow...

To learn, Mr. O'Neill believes, you have to be put in a situation that triggers emotion. That means taking people out of their routines, either physically or mentally. "You don't learn when you're in your comfort zone, when you're sitting at the same desk every day, in the same place, doing the same thing, and everything is predictable," he says. "The learning zone is where there is a manageable amount of discomfort, and emotions are heightened."

Shackleton made sure the men had a realistic notion of their plight.

Shackleton kept the malcontents close to him to contain their effect and to try to win them over.

Shackleton made sure the men didn't lose their sense of humor.

Shackleton sought out advice, but made final decisions alone.

Shackleton made sure everyone felt he was doing something worthwhile to get out of the situation.

"Put footstep of courage into stirrup of patience."

Shackleton did what was hardest at the time: nothing.

Shackleton prepared the men for unpopular orders by giving warnings far in advance.

The Boss liked to float rumors and ideas ahead of time when a difficult decision had to be made. It gave the men time to mull over the idea of a plan before having to deal with the reality of it.

SHACKLETON'S WAY OF GETTING THE GROUP THROUGH A CRISIS