Shackleton's
Leadership Practices

Leading By Example:

• Put the team's needs ahead of his own.

• Was very visible in the workplace; took on the hardest jobs himself. Never asked anyone to work harder than he did.

• Stayed calm in crises; modeled the behavior and attitude he wanted his team to adopt.

• In the face of changing circumstances, kept his plans flexible and backed up his goals with meticulous planning. He always had more than one contingency plan.

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Communicating Effectively:

• Made sure his team had a realistic assessment of the situation.

• Forged strong bonds with his men through personal, casual, one-on-one conversations.

• During crises, he communicated to the whole crew as a group.

• Offered a plan of action; asked for their support; reassured them of his faith in a positive outcome.

• Asked for opinions and advice - everyone had a voice - although he made the final decisions.

• Communicated his expeditions clearly.

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Keeping Up Morale:

• ​Established an orderly routine that kept everyone productive and doing meaningful work.

• Created a sense of community and camaraderie. He encouraged people to work together.

• Never chastised anyone in public. He focused on fixing problems; no on punishing people. He praised crew-members easily and often.

• Looked for opportunities to create pleasant surprises and celebrations, and he built relaxation and entertainment into the daily schedule.

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Maintaining a Positive Attitude:

• Recognized the power of optimism and said it was "true moral courage."

• Insisted on optimism from his crew.

• Faced new circumstances and challenges as adventures - not as obstacles.

• Monitored the pessimists closely to contain their effects on the rest of the group.