Endurance - Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
Endurance
Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage
Alfred Lansing in1959 wrote Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage. This is a true story about Ernest Shackleton a polar explorer who was eager to cross the Antarctic Continent overland from west to east (Lansing). Shackleton recruited 27 men to venture on this expedition with him from artist to engineers to surgeons; Shackleton handpicked his men based upon the previous experiences of these men at sea. As Shackleton and his men set out for this voyage, Shackleton later learned that he had one extra man on board (a stowaway). There were a total of 28 men including Shackleton on the Endurance. This voyage was not going to be easy, as it had never been done before; it was going to be a very challenging voyage getting across the “Weddell Sea”. The crew had succumbed to many challenges given the weather conditions of the Weddell Sea. Endurance became trapped in pack ice forcing the crew to “winter on board the ship” (Lansing). Ultimately, the crew was forced to abandon ship because the pressures of the pack ice became so intense. The pack ice ultimately destroyed the Endurance, leaving Shackleton and his men and all of their belongings on a floe including 55 of the 69 dogs they brought on board. Shackleton and his men had one more mission left, to survive!
Shackleton displayed characteristics of a great leader. He was Achievement-oriented, as well as a strategic leader. After everything that occurred on this voyage, Shackleton was always both confident and resilient. He was also very equal to his men he had a service mentality he considered the best interest of the group and consistently displayed his concern for his men, their safety, and their well being including their morale. Shackleton never gave up hope and he never once gave his men false hope he was honest and extremely optimistic. Lansing quotes one of Shackleton’s men who described Shackleton as “the greatest leader that ever came on
Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage
Alfred Lansing in1959 wrote Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage. This is a true story about Ernest Shackleton a polar explorer who was eager to cross the Antarctic Continent overland from west to east (Lansing). Shackleton recruited 27 men to venture on this expedition with him from artist to engineers to surgeons; Shackleton handpicked his men based upon the previous experiences of these men at sea. As Shackleton and his men set out for this voyage, Shackleton later learned that he had one extra man on board (a stowaway). There were a total of 28 men including Shackleton on the Endurance. This voyage was not going to be easy, as it had never been done before; it was going to be a very challenging voyage getting across the “Weddell Sea”. The crew had succumbed to many challenges given the weather conditions of the Weddell Sea. Endurance became trapped in pack ice forcing the crew to “winter on board the ship” (Lansing). Ultimately, the crew was forced to abandon ship because the pressures of the pack ice became so intense. The pack ice ultimately destroyed the Endurance, leaving Shackleton and his men and all of their belongings on a floe including 55 of the 69 dogs they brought on board. Shackleton and his men had one more mission left, to survive!
Shackleton displayed characteristics of a great leader. He was Achievement-oriented, as well as a strategic leader. After everything that occurred on this voyage, Shackleton was always both confident and resilient. He was also very equal to his men he had a service mentality he considered the best interest of the group and consistently displayed his concern for his men, their safety, and their well being including their morale. Shackleton never gave up hope and he never once gave his men false hope he was honest and extremely optimistic. Lansing quotes one of Shackleton’s men who described Shackleton as “the greatest leader that ever came on
Bibliography: Lansing, Alfred. Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage. New York: Carroll & Graf, 1959. Van Wart, Montgomery, Dynamics of Leadership in Public Service: Theory and Practice, M.E. Sharpe, 2011.