The Four Values that Made Ernest Shackleton a Great Leader
While I'm not sure I would follow Ernest Shackleton into the Antarctic for his 1914 expedition, I am sure I would follow a leader like Shackleton into an adventure during present day. The reasoning boils down to the technology advances we have made in the 21st century, but that is a story for a different time. If a leader like Shackleton appeared, there would be four values that would manifest in said leader to be like Shackleton.
The first value is the leader would set a personal example with visible and memorable symbols and behaviors. When a leader is a good example that is visible to others, the people he or she has to lead will have something to look up to and strive for. One of the best ways Shackleton exemplified this trait was his service attitude after losing his ship, the Endurance. Instead of having the cook wake up early to make hot milk, Shackleton took it upon himself to wake up early every morning to serve hot milk to his men in their tents. This showed to his men that even the leader is doing his part to help everyone survive.
The second value important for a leader would be the ability to have optimism and self- confidence while facing difficult events, but at the same time, be able to stay grounded in reality. This was a significant value in Shackleton that helped save lives during the two-year expedition. Shackleton showed his ability to call things like they are when deciding to stop all attempts to free the Endurance and to instead buckle down and spend the winter in the ice pack.
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Reinforcing the team message of unity and minimizing the status differences while encouraging mutual respect will be critical in helping the group work together to accomplish a common goal. During this time in history, race relations were not like they are today. Shackleton realized the crew's chance of survival relied heavily on everyone working together. This is best showed in Shackleton when he would call for warm milk for everyone when he noticed one sailor who seemed colder or worse off than the rest.
The fourth and final value of a good leader would be the ability to find something to celebrate and something to laugh about. One great example is when the men held competitive dog-sled races and football games. The dogs also helped keep the men's minds off of their terrible predicament and helped pass the time.
Overall, if a person like Shackleton appeared and offered me a spot in his upcoming expedition, I would take the chance and follow this leader. However, it is important to realize people change when faced with hardships and obstacles. Sometimes, a common follower can stand up and take charge if the pre-determined leader is failing in his task of leading his men. The only true way to discover if someone has the leadership qualities like Shackleton is to actually follow them blindly into the expedition, expecting the worst. This would be a big risk to take, which is also one of the values held by Shackleton. If there was some possible way to be one hundred percent sure this leader would act like Shackleton, then yes, I would follow the new leader into an adventure.
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The Four Values that Made Ernest Shackleton a Great Leader. (2023, Apr 19). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/the-four-values-that-made-ernest-shackleton-a-great-leader/
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