The Expedition By: Bailee Milner, Heather Bone, Crystal Myers, and Allen Jackson

Transcription

1 The Expedition By: Bailee Milner, Heather Bone, Crystal Myers, and Allen Jackson I. Evaluating Shackleton as a Leader 1. In what context should the Endurance expedition be analyzed? As a scientific endeavor? An entrepreneurial venture? An exercise in imperial opportunity? By what criteria should the expedition be evaluated? Why? The criteria that should be evaluated concerning the expedition are many. Concerning Shackleton himself, and the leadership qualities that he demonstrated are best described in a textbook from Contemporary Issues in Supervision, OCTE. According to Robbins, DeCenzo, and Wolter (2013) in the textbook Supervision Today, the authors state that leadership qualities include intelligence, charm, decisiveness, enthusiasm, strength, bravery, integrity, and selfconfidence (p. 229). The text goes on to describe a leader by traits such as influence direction, encouragement, sensitivity, consideration, and support (p. 229). These traits are evident in the case of Shackleton s Endurance expedition. These traits are the criteria by which the expedition should be evaluated due to critical role they played in the final outcome of the expedition, which is to say the survival of Shackleton s crew and himself. 2. A managerial scholar has defined entrepreneurship as the relentless pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled. Using this definition, was Ernest Shackleton an entrepreneur? A leader? If so, why? If not, why not? Ernest Shackleton was, without a doubt, an entrepreneur, and a leader. Firstly, he was an entrepreneur in the fullest sense of the word when one considers entrepreneurship as relentless pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled. Shackleton had a vision that he determined could be realized, and without hesitation or distraction at the thought of the enormous effort and resources that would be required, he vivaciously set about making this vision a reality. At every turn, where obstacles arose, Shackleton persevered, pushing through them, relying upon his ingenuity and the belief in his endeavor to help him succeed. Secondly, as a leader, Shackleton was ahead of the pack. The sheer magnitude of his expedition reveals this. Venturing into unchartered territory, enduring extreme and harsh conditions for a prolonged period of time, and being among the first to try and test innovative equipment and techniques in polar exploration is nothing less than fearless. And, this is a key component of the qualities of any leader. Much of the time a leader must be set apart, and alone, being responsible for decisions that affect their entire team. This takes a degree of fearlessness. Shackleton was fearless, and tenacious in the pursuit of this opportunity. 3. What were the key features of the context in which he operated? As discussed earlier, the key traits of a leader were obviously exhibited in Ernest Shackleton. Whether known or unbeknownst to him, Shackleton demonstrated the highest of leadership qualities during his command of the Endurance expedition. His maritime background combined

2 with a congenial, charismatic, and strong moral character made for an effective combination regarding his ability to lead. 4. What role does fame play in entrepreneurial agency? What role does charisma play? The crew of the Endurance held Shackleton in high esteem, and respect. The fame earned by Shackleton made him a household name of sorts, which most certainly afforded him both respectability and an avenue for greater success in the years to follow. Fame such as this can be likened to branding strategies in Business Marketing today. As with celebrities in present day, once a name is made for oneself, entrepreneurial endeavors are made a little easier. Take, for instance, Jennifer Lopez s rise to stardom, and the closely followed success of her line of perfumes, and other merchandise. According to Mesa (2004), the inherent downside to a celebrity-name brand is that when the name is no longer the public s darling or encounters personal problems and/or scandals, the brand has a much tougher time convincing the public that the "name's" current problems do not reflect on the brand's name itself. As with Shackleton, he encountered some difficulty securing funding for his Endurance expedition from a variety of would-be patrons due to just such a supposed scandal. Charisma is also a strong component in entrepreneurial agency, due to its ability to influence people. Shackleton was indeed charismatic, influencing both his crew, and the wealth of patrons that helped make the Endurance expedition possible. Charisma encourages people, whether employees, stakeholders, business partners, and others to work to meet the mission or goals of the agency, and its leadership. 5. Was Shackleton an audacious entrepreneur/leader? How important is audacity in understanding leadership action? Shackleton embodied the identity of an audacious entrepreneur and leader. He entered the polar exploration scene while it was greatly popular. Similarly to space exploration and the first moon landing in the 60 s, polar exploration was equally audacious during Shackleton s time. Shackleton, along with a handful of other explorers, led the way in this difficult and dangerous undertaking. It was his courageousness and bravery that led many to follow him on each of his expeditions to the South Pole. Audacity is arguably one of the most important elements of leadership action. Such cases as Steve Jobs innovations at Apple, demonstrate a willingness to challenge conventional thought and design. An example such as Rosa Parks refusal to give up her bus seat to a white woman and the Montgomery Boycott leading to the end of segregation in the U.S. are each examples of the importance of audacity in leadership action. Some of the best displays of leadership are done while going against the grain so to speak. A leader must be willing to break the rules of tradition and fearlessly explore the unknown. Thus, Shackleton did when the race for the South Pole was all but over, giving him the extraordinary honor of chartering new territory in Antarctica, as well as his own soul. 6. How did Shackleton conceive of this expedition? What was at stake for him in putting the enterprise together? Shackleton had something to prove, both to his fellow explorers and societies, as well as to himself. This is the initial reason that he began to put the enterprise together. In the writings of

3 his previous companion, Shackleton was depicted in a rather low fashion, thus spurring his ego and pride to prove the man wrong. There was also some rumor of his being of weak constitution. These issues, paired with his deep desire to see his original goal through to fruition made for the conception and preparation of the Endurance expedition. His reputation among the scientific and political communities, financial standing, relationship with his new bride, and personal pride of life, not to mention his crew and own life were all at stake over the expedition. Shackleton stood to lose all that was dear to him, risking critical aspects of his life that could leave him literally destitute. The decision to charge ahead in the face of such uncertainty and risk was truly bold. 7. How do you evaluate Shackleton s timing once he had marshaled the necessary resources? The Boss, as his crew called him, commenced with the expedition at an ill time. Though he could not foresee the Great War, once he arrived in South Georgia, his timing proved greatly insufficient, unbeknownst to him at the time. It was poor foresight on his part not to cancel the expedition, what with the Great War. One must wonder if he considered the potential lack of vessels or adequate resources to acquire rescue, should it be needed during the expedition. His attempt for a summer exploration was good planning on his part, however the climatic conditions were still too unpredictable to take such a risk without a proper rescue plan in place. It also leads one to question whether a form of rescue was ever in place to begin with. 8. Why does he appear to have been in such a hurry once the expedition was ready to set sail and Churchill had given him the go-ahead? Does this speed matter? Perhaps Shackleton was eager to see the return on the investment that so many had made for the expedition. Or, perhaps, he was eager to return to the frozen shores that had eluded him in the past, and conquer his nemesis at last. Either way, he was most obviously in a hurry to make the journey. It is quite possible that Shackleton felt a strong need to win back the pride and hearts of his country and people on the world stage. The speed at which Shackleton set about the expedition was somewhat reckless. Most particularly, his blatant disregard for the warnings of the experienced whalers in South Georgia concerning the ice floes is astonishing. This decision alone was arguably the primary reason for the peril that befell the expedition. II. Evaluating Shackleton s Effectiveness and Success 9. Was Shackleton effective? Shackleton was not effective in terms of his original goal, to make the transcontinental journey across Antarctica from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea. However, in the face of a grave turn of events, Shackleton was very effective when his priority became ultimately getting his crew to safety, with no loss of life. In terms of entrepreneurship, his effectiveness is up for debate. He was able to secure the necessary funding to make the expedition happen. However, on the other side of the coin, he did so taking on a tremendous debt, of which he later struggled to pay off. Better financial planning on his part could have made the endeavor s risk ratio a bit more stable. 10. How important is the quest for fame? Does that matter in evaluating Shackleton s success? The quest relied heavily on fame, He was determined to make a name and do the unthinkable. The quest for fame does matter when evaluating him as a leader. The quest clouded his

4 judgment and kept him from listening to the advice and warnings he was given. It was a personal goal of his and once he set out to reach that margin he disregarded some of the best advice given to him in Georgia. 11. What were the underlying causes of the Endurance crisis? The underlying causes beside the ice floes and dangerous weather, are pride and ego. Shackleton had too much pride in himself and an ego that couldn t admit defeat or fathom the idea. 12. How important to Shackleton s effectiveness, to entrepreneurial/leadership effectiveness in general is the ability to change course midstream? The ability to make changes even in the midstream of plans, make a leader most effective. Being a leader means open mindfulness and change. We can never plan for everything even if did all the work and proper preparation s. With that being said a leader must be able to change or make decisions that are not part of the plan for the greater good of the team as a whole. 13. On balance, was Shackleton a good leader or a good manager? Shackleton was a good manager of balance during the expedition. He saw the importance of occupation even though the ship was marooned in the ice floe. He showed great thought when it came to crafting and following a schedule to pass the time. This included entertainment, work, rest, and camaraderie. He was very attentive to the need for such balance amongst his crew. Shackleton s strengths were in his character, moral compass, modesty, fearless leadership, congeniality, and ambition to succeed. On the other hand, his weaknesses included poor planning and preparation, ego, pride, and rash decisions on some accounts. III. Evaluating Shackleton: Effectiveness and Success 14. What parallels do you see between Shackleton and other entrepreneurs or leaders whom you have studied? What were Shackleton s strengths and weaknesses? Shackleton has similar parallels to the University of Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops. They both started young, building their careers to reach pivotal and the both have failed along the way and they keep trying. Each man display strength in the confidence that is infectious to those around them. They both have people that will follow them on whatever journey they choose to conquer in their respected fields. They are both leaders that have the ability to influence their people to give their all, sacrifice their body and wallets for the mission. Shackleton s strengths: Shackleton s strengths are his daunting spirit and his ability to compel loyalty. Plus his ability to influence and win friends. People that he won over on the crew of the Endurance would follow Shackleton to the end of the world if he asked. We would have gone anywhere without question just on his order. Shackleton s weaknesses:

5 Shackleton s weakness lack good plan which also surfaces again on his last journey. Shackleton never lost his passion for confronting the challenges of the ice. Without a defined plan or goal 15. Why are people today so interested in Ernest Shackleton? Since the mid-to-late 1990s, why have there been so many books (business/general interest), movies, exhibits, and other projects about Shackleton? It is not difficult to understand people s fascination with Ernest Shackleton. He was an exemplary leader, considering the incredible feats that he and his crew overcame. He was a selfless leader in the face of certain death, putting his crew before even himself. He was an extraordinary individual whose leadership traits got due attention world-wide. 16. What did you personally learn from case? From your ReachHigher experience? We learned the importance of making my employees or followers our number one concern as a supervisor, both from the Shackleton case, and throughout the Reach Higher program. It is important to remember that even through challenges that present themselves in my career and life, the most telling definition of my character is what I do to move forward, and press on for success. The work, and the lives of the people that work affects are my number one priority. To be efficient, I have to think outside the box, and really evaluate, and keep measuring my success in terms of reaching the goals of my employer, as well as that of my team. Shackleton made several costly mistakes in his career, but didn t let those mistakes mire him in doubt and selfpity. His example, joined with the lessons I have learned through the Reach Higher program will be helpful as I pursue my career.