Shackleton's Way

From his ability to lead challenging expeditions in to the Antarctic, Sir Ernest Shackleton is a renowned Explorer for the twentieth century. Although known for his explorations, Shackleton’s ability to motivate and lead his men during the harshest conditions was equally admirable. From his forward-thinking recruitment processes; his honest and empathetic values to leadership; and the ability to inspire, Shackleton’s leadership competencies as critical for 1914’s explorations into the Antarctic and for the success of leaders in the twenty-first century workplace. This paper will explore the leadership characteristics and competencies that made Shackleton an inspiring leader. Moreover, this paper will draw from Shackleton’s transformational leadership lessons that are still relevant in today’s organizations.

Shackleton’s path to leadership started from a young age. He learned from his family a broad and sympathetic view of the world, which helped shape his leadership style. Daft (2008) states, “interpersonal relationships are seen as the most important facet of leadership effectiveness” (p. 20). As a young apprentice, he stayed committed to his work despite all the hardship he faced. He was a keen reader and a traveler, and found wisdom through reading books and kept an eye on new horizons and was ready to seize opportunities. From his experience, confidence, and self-awareness he had built over the years, Shackleton knew the leadership style he wanted to adopt in his 1914 expedition. Daft (2008) states a good leader must have strong emotional intelligence and, “with a high level of self-awareness learn to trust their ‘gut feelings’ and realize that these feelings can provide useful information about difficult decisions” (p. 147). Shackleton had strong emotional intelligence (EQ) and he strived for a leadership that valued caring, respect, and development of his crew. This, along with his strong cognitive intelligence, helped him to make logical decisions...