Leadership and Shackleton
Leadership in Crisis: Ernest Shackleton and the Epic Voyage of the Endurance
1. Was Ernest Shackleton a good leader? What were his personality traits and leadership styles? If he were living in modern times would he be a success as an entrepreneur or as a senior executive in a corporation? Why or why not?
Ernest Shackleton was one of the greatest leaders of all time. His leadership and motivation were the driving forces behind the survival of his crew in their Antarctic journey. Shackleton displayed many personality traits of an excellent leader. When considering the big five, it is difficult to rank Shackleton, as it seems he displayed a strong possession of all five of these dimensions. However, I do believe his strongest dimension was surgency. He exhibited a level of determination and persistence in exploring the Antarctic regions that had never been seen before. Some believe his persistence to continue, even in grueling conditions, was considered borderline crazy.
Coming in a close second, I believe he displayed a high level of conscientiousness. His dependability and integrity were unmeasurable. During the men’s mission aboard the James Caird to South Georgia Island, in an attempt to send help to the remaining crew waiting on Elephant Island, Shackleton monitored them very closely. If at any point he felt one of his crewmen was close to death, he would order a serving of warm milk for all. I believe as captain of the crew, his ability to keep his men alive made him very dependable. Upon arrival to South Georgia Island, he wasted no time in obtaining another ship and departing for Elephant Island to rescue the remaining crew. When the ship proved too weak for the mission and Shackleton had to turn around, he did not get discouraged. He was able to secure another ship in only a few weeks after his first failed attempt. Again, he was forced to return unsuccessfully, after only a few days, due to ice damages sustained by the ship. Still, he
1. Was Ernest Shackleton a good leader? What were his personality traits and leadership styles? If he were living in modern times would he be a success as an entrepreneur or as a senior executive in a corporation? Why or why not?
Ernest Shackleton was one of the greatest leaders of all time. His leadership and motivation were the driving forces behind the survival of his crew in their Antarctic journey. Shackleton displayed many personality traits of an excellent leader. When considering the big five, it is difficult to rank Shackleton, as it seems he displayed a strong possession of all five of these dimensions. However, I do believe his strongest dimension was surgency. He exhibited a level of determination and persistence in exploring the Antarctic regions that had never been seen before. Some believe his persistence to continue, even in grueling conditions, was considered borderline crazy.
Coming in a close second, I believe he displayed a high level of conscientiousness. His dependability and integrity were unmeasurable. During the men’s mission aboard the James Caird to South Georgia Island, in an attempt to send help to the remaining crew waiting on Elephant Island, Shackleton monitored them very closely. If at any point he felt one of his crewmen was close to death, he would order a serving of warm milk for all. I believe as captain of the crew, his ability to keep his men alive made him very dependable. Upon arrival to South Georgia Island, he wasted no time in obtaining another ship and departing for Elephant Island to rescue the remaining crew. When the ship proved too weak for the mission and Shackleton had to turn around, he did not get discouraged. He was able to secure another ship in only a few weeks after his first failed attempt. Again, he was forced to return unsuccessfully, after only a few days, due to ice damages sustained by the ship. Still, he