Leading At The Edge: Leadership Lessons From The Extraordinary Saga Of Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition

Description

For the 100th anniversary of the Race to the South Pole, a fresh look at what Shackleton's legendary Antarctic adventure can teach us about true leadership. Stranded in the frozen Antarctic sea for nearly two years, Sir Ernest Shackleton and his team of 27 polar explorers endured extreme temperatures, hazardous ice, dwindling food, and complete isolation. Despite these seemingly insurmountable obstacles, the group remained cohesive, congenial, and mercifully alive-a fact that speaks not just to luck but to an unparalleled feat of leadership. Drawing on this amazing story, Leading at The Edge demonstrates the importance of a strong leader in times of adversity, uncertainty, and change. The book reveals 10 timeless leadership lessons that show readers how to: * Instill optimism while staying grounded in reality * Have the courage to step up to risks worth taking * Consistently reinforce the team message * Set a personal example * Find something to celebrate and something to laugh about * Never give up Part adventure tale, part leadership guide, the second edition features additional lessons, new case studies of the strategies in action, tools to uncover and resolve conflicts, and expanded resources. An updated epilogue compares the leadership styles of the famous polar explorers Shackleton, Amundsen, and Scott. Today's leaders have much to learn from this gripping account of survival against all odds. Leading at The Edge will help them bring order to chaos-and achieve success in the face of adversity.

Reviews

.".. there are many leadership lessons to be learned from Shackleton's amazing adventure.""--ABA Banking Journal"

Author description

DENNIS N.T. PERKINS, PH.D. is the chief executive officer of The Syncretics Group, a consulting firm dedicated to effective leadership in demanding environments. He has taken his passion for The Edge to Antarctica, where he retraced Shackleton's journey. MARGARET P. HOLTMAN and JILLIAN B. MURPHY are consultants specializing in leadership, coaching and team development.

Table of contents

CONTENTS Acknowledgments for the Second Edition Acknowledgments for the First Edition Preface The Shackleton Saga Part One: Ten Strategies for Leading at The Edge Chapter 1: Vision and Quick Victories Strategy 1: Never lose sight of the ultimate goal, and focus energy on short-term objectives. Chapter 2: Symbolism and Personal Example Strategy 2: Set a personal example with visible, memorable symbols and behaviors. Chapter 3: Optimism and Reality Strategy 3: Instill optimism and self-confidence, but stay grounded in reality. Chapter 4: Stamina Strategy 4:Take care of yourself: Maintain your stamina and let go of guilt. Chapter 5: TheTeam Message Strategy 5: Reinforce the team message constantly: "We are one-we live or die together." Chapter 6: Core Team Values Strategy 6:Minimize status differences and insist on courtesy and mutual respect. Chapter 7: Conflict Strategy 7:Master conflict-deal with anger in small doses, engage dissidents, and avoid needless power struggles. Chapter 8: Lighten Up! Strategy 8: Find something to celebrate and something to laugh about. Chapter 9 Risk Strategy 9: Be willing to take the Big Risk. Chapter 10: Tenacious Creativity Strategy 10: Never give up-there's always another move. Part Two: Continuing Your Expedition Chapter 11: Learning to Lead at The Edge Chapter 12: Epilogue: What Makes an Exceptional Leader? Part Three: Tools for Leading at The Edge ExpeditionToolkit Critical Leadership Skills Survey Your Leadership Expedition: A Personal Development Plan Your Leadership Expedition Map Identifying Hidden Conflicts: Conducting a Moose Round-Up Resolving Conflicts: Lessons from the Martial Arts Further Readings from The Edge Notes Index Acknowledgments for Previously Published Materials Opening pages of Into the Storm