An inspiring Leader
If you are not already aware, professionals around the world are drawing inspiration for their leadership practice from a polar explorer who lived one hundred years ago. Sir Ernest Shackleton (1874 – 1922) was an Irish-born explorer who led three British expeditions as one of the principle figures in what is commonly considered the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. He is credited with having kept his team together—and alive—across the treacherous mission. Beginning this year, some are celebrating the 100th anniversary of Sir Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-1917). For decades, Sir Shackleton’s leadership style has been the focus of leadership books, courses, films and more. From a global leadership perspective, what can be learned from how Sir Shackleton managed his team? (Click here to view a trailer of the film, “The Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition,” released in 2000, which summarizes the significance of Sir Shackleton’s story.)
Lessons learned for Global Leadership
Many descriptors can be used to describe Sir Shackleton; all are open to interpretation. He is described as a visionary, a risk-taker and a man with a sense of humor—as well as a bully who was inconsistent in his methods. Despite the margin of interpretation—or perhaps because of it—there may be lessons to be learned for practitioners of global leadership, depending upon our specific contexts. This article focuses on three elements of business from which we may draw our own lessons: organizational culture, performance management and diversity management.
Organizational Culture
Sir Shackleton established an organizational culture of adventurism and camaraderie on his expedition by vividly illustrating his vision and mission, and by joining in fellowship with his crew. He built public anticipation for his mission even before hiring employees to join his „organization“. The 50-odd crewmen ultimately hired from a pool of 5,000 candidates seemed to be attracted to the sense of adventure that Sir Shackleton created; it could be said that the men shared a common culture of hungering to be the heroes of their own adventure. Sir Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition met their need for that mission. Further, he created a dependent relationship between the success of the mission and the success of his crewmen (“employees”).
Questions for consideration:
- How can building the positive reputation of your organization externally help drive a strong and progressive organizational culture internally?
- How does your mission fit with needs of top talent?
- In what ways do you demonstrate that people are crucial to your organization’s survival and success?
Diversity Management
The crew of Sir Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition was made up of Anglo Saxon males. They represented national, generational, educational and professional diversity, among other points of difference. Generally, Shackleton maximized the synergy of his crew (“team”) by minimizing their diversity and promoting an egalitarian culture among his crew separate from which he was boss. One leadership style and language drove the mission without borrowing from the different strengths that a diverse crew could have offered.
Questions for consideration:
- Globally, how do you perceive your international workforce and how they can best contribute to the mission?
- For your context, when is it most effective for the mission to focus on commonality or upon diversity?
Performance Management
“By endurance we conquer” was Sir Shackleton’s family motto as well as his own professional ethic. He motivated and managed the performance of his crew through hard (physical) work. All men were tasked with menial duties regardless of skill level. Just as they worked harded, all “played hard“. Sir Shackleton encouraged play and song among his crew.
Questions for consideration:
- What play is encouraged in your workplace?
- To what extent is collective work effort a part of your performance management strategy?
The following article was included in the Oct. 2014 intercultures e-newsletter.
Photo source: „Shackleton-tour“ by Unknown – Scan of original from Christies‘ Auction 2000. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons