WAS SHACKLETON REALLY THE GOAT?
Craig Allan (The Black Knight?)
Changing lives through expert Coaching, one goal at a time. Accountability Coach for solopreneurs and entrepreneurs who refuse to let limiting beliefs stop them. LinkedIn profile writer, LinkedIn consultant and trainer.
During times of stress and difficulty, there is a tendency for issues to develop in any team.
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Even when fairness and openness are at the heart of the team, there can still be occasions when resentment can develop and grow, with a perception that “some are more equal than others”.
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The UK has been experiencing exactly this recently, in our political system and it always results in a breakdown of trust and communication.
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It’s exactly the same with business and the root cause, is always poor or weak leadership.
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LEADERSHIP
Most of my closest friends on this platform, already know that leadership is a lifelong passion of mine. One I am especially vociferous about on occasion.
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The reason being, and contrary to what the plethora of leadership experts on these pages would have us believe, is that true, real leaders, are a very rare thing indeed.
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In fact, in my, almost 40-year career, I have worked in the SMB, large company, and corporate business markets, and I promise you, I do not need all the fingers of one hand to count how many true leaders I have actually met in that time.
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That’s how rare they truly are in my opinion.
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And I don’t subscribe to the myth that people are born leaders. They’re just not.
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True leaders become so, because of coaching, training, or due to external circumstances, where they have no option but to lead.
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MY HERO
Since I was a boy, I was always fascinated by explorers and nature and the like, and one of my first heroes was/is Sir Ernest Shackleton, the Antarctic explorer.
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I still use some of his examples when I am asked to talk about leadership today, as there are still so many things we can learn from him.
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Shackleton WAS a true leader and in fact only 3 or 4 years ago was voted the GOAT following a lengthy BBC series.
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And to think I could have told them that before they spent so much money producing all of those programs.
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FRANK WILD
Shackleton’s right-hand man was Frank Wild, a true giant of exploration, and one whose input and opinions Shackleton valued.
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During the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914, their ship, The Endurance, became permanently trapped in flow ice in the Weddell sea, and ultimately was crushed by the ice causing it ?to sink.
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The new mission for the entire crew changed, from one of exploration, to one of survival.
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It was during their survival plight that one of their pack mules fell through a deep crevasse in the ice, dragging Frank Wild with it.
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The crew fought to save the badly injured Wild, but the mule with most of their rations, was lost.
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Food became so low that the men were reduced to a single biscuit ration per day.
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On one occasion, Shackleton, on seeing his closest friend deteriorating, forced his one breakfast biscuit on to Wild, helping him find the strength to fight on.
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Wild later wrote,
“I do not suppose that anyone else in the world can thoroughly realise how much generosity and sympathy was shown by this. I do, and by God I shall never forget it. Thousands of pounds would not have bought that one biscuit.”
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CONCLUSION
Between them, Shackleton and Wild had created an egalitarian spirit throughout the team.
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It ensured that everyone would do whatever work needed to be done and ensured there was no perception of inequality.
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Shackleton trusted each and every one of his crew. He cared for them. He loved them as if they were his own.
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In return, they would have gone to the ends of the earth, and beyond for him.
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Was Shackleton the GOAT?
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Unquestionably.
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? I am Craig
? I am also The Black Knight
? Leveraging LinkedIn for sales & marketing
? Connect with me -?https://lnkd.in/e7uYgCSY
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NOV | “won't relent until the job is done and done well” | Technology Deployment Expert | Renewable Energy Engineering | President and Chair, The Mining Institute of Scotland(MIS)
1 年???? completely and wholeheartedly agree “For scientific discovery give me Scott; for speed and efficiency of travel give me Amundsen; but when disaster strikes and all hope is gone, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton.”
I make strange electronic music that scares cats ??
1 年I thought you meant the footballer Craig ?? Great read
Creating safe spaces to enable individuals and teams to learn, grow and develop. When not doing that cycling, reading and drinking wine...
1 年Beautiful piece Craig on someone who I know was a real heroic leader to you in the best sense.
Automating & transforming business with MS365, SharePoint, Power Platform & Copilot ensuring efficiency, productivity, sustainability and compliance. ScotlandIS Board Member/Aberdeen Renewables Group Digital Chair/BCorp
1 年Aw great wee post and yea I think he was for sure