Thursday's Leadership Insight: 7 Leadership Lessons from the RMS Titanic

"Everything rises and falls on leadership."

John Maxwell

History provides a huge storehouse of learning because history provides a look at events through three lenses.

1. History is His(Her) Story .The presentation of what happened will change based on the person reporting. A study of this allows an appreciation of varied perspectives.

2. History may provide varied events from our current context and content yet provides many common learnings about a leader's core values, motivations, purpose, and mindset. This requires looking beyond the surface facts to the inner workings of events and leadership. Much like the subject of today's newsletter, an iceberg, most relevant information is below the surface.

3. History shines a bright spotlight on leaders and their choices. History displays how failure or success is based on leadership. As Leadership expert John Maxwell says, "Everything rises and falls on leadership."

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This Thursday's leadership insight will focus on seven lessons from the 1922 Titanic disaster that are applicable today.

April 15 is a day of dual meanings and lessons. In the US, there are dread deals and extensions of tax day. April 15 is the 112th anniversary of one of history's greatest shipping disasters. The RMS Titanic struck an iceberg, flooded, and sank. A disaster that happened was caused by poor leadership at 11:40 pm on April 14, 1912. Lookout Fredrick Fleet and fellow lookout Reginald? Lee were preparing to end their watch. They had watched for icebergs on a flat, windless, starless night for over three hours. Fleet noticed a looming dark shape virtually camouflaged in the flat dark seas was a looming danger. The HMS Titanic was speeding toward an iceberg.

Fleet blew the hour, used the whistle, and telephoned "Iceberg straight ahead "to the Captain's deck. Frantic efforts to reverse engines and steer to the port (left) ?appeared successful, a near miss, for a brief moment. The crew reported a crash and a tearing sound. The right side of the Titanic near the bow was punctured and ripped. The problem was and is today that 90% of Icebergs are below the surface and extend beyond what is visible from the surface. The Titanic ran into the unseen part of the iceberg. The flooding was rapid, and amid a chaotic attempt to abandon ship, the "Unsinkable "Titanic sank at 2:40 am on April 15 with a loss of 1500 lives. The seeds of this disaster were planted long before that disastrous night.

The sinking of the RMS Titanic on its maiden voyage in 1912 is a tragic event that offers valuable leadership lessons. By examining seven factors contributing to this disaster, we can gain insights into effective leadership practices and avoid repeating similar mistakes.

Here are seven leadership lessons from the Titanic disaster:

1. Overconfidence and Complacency

The Titanic was marketed as an "unsinkable" ship, leading to a sense of overconfidence and complacency among its operators and crew. This false sense of security resulted in a lack of preparedness and a failure to take necessary precautions. In a 2012 article, Leadership Lessons from the Sinking of the Titanic, it was reported that "The ship's Captain, E.J. Smith, was a retiree brought back by the White Star Line to get the Titanic to New York as fast as possible to make a big victory in the competitive ocean passenger business with the Cunard Line. "He had canceled evacuation drills for passengers and crew.

Leadership lessons

Leaders must remain vigilant and avoid becoming complacent despite apparent success or technological advancements. They should continuously assess potential risks and maintain a sense of humility.?They must look up, down, and all around, ask questions, and have the courage to question "experts."

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2. Ignoring Warnings and Expert Advice

Despite receiving multiple warnings from other ships about icebergs in the area, the Titanic's Captain chose to ignore them, prioritizing speed over safety to achieve the goal of a record time in completing the voyage. In a 2012 article, the author explains why the Captain ignored the warnings on the Titanic. – Quora ?

It is reported that "On the night of April 14,?1912, The Coronia, Baltic, Californian, and Mesaba all sent warnings to the Titanic that there were icebergs in the area. There are accounts that?Captain Smith?willingly chose to ignore seven warnings he received about the dangers in the ocean. Radio operator Jack Phillips ignored radio warnings. He was preoccupied with passing along personal messages from first-class passengers about their luxurious experience for the press. He was one of the 1500 casualties that night.

Leadership lessons

?Effective leaders should listen to expert advice, heed warnings, and make informed decisions based on available information rather than dismissing potential risks.

Fleet testified they "might have seen it a bit sooner. When asked, "How sooner?" he)replied: "Well, enough to get out of the way."

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3. Lack of Contingency Planning

Before sailing, the White Star Line office ordered a reshuffling of the Titanic's officers and staff. Officer David Blair was transferred from Titanic. He accidentally took the keys to a storage locker believed to store the lookout's binoculars. The Titanic lookouts needed binoculars to see icebergs at a greater distance. Fleet and Lee survived the disaster and, during inquiries, Fleet testified they "might have seen it a bit sooner. When asked, "How sooner?" he (Fleet)replied: "Well, enough to get out of the way."

The Titanic also had insufficient lifeboats, and the crew was not adequately trained in emergency procedures. A recent National Geographic article reported," The Titanic carried about 2,200 passengers on its maiden voyage, and the lifeboats and collapsible had room for 1,178—more than the number required by British shipping regulations, which followed an outdated safety formula developed in 1896 and only required lifeboat seats for 962. The Titanic's only safety drill was rudimentary at best—two lifeboats lowered on sailing day, and passengers received no instruction on how to respond in an emergency.?" The result was that the already insufficient number of lifeboats were never loaded to capacity, and two never launched.

Leadership Lessons

Leaders must prioritize contingency planning and ensure their teams are resourced and prepared to respond effectively to unexpected situations or crises.

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4. Communication Breakdowns

Communication breakdowns occurred at multiple levels during the Titanic's voyage, including the Captain's failure to relay multiple iceberg warnings and the Crew Members' and patrons' lack of training and preparation to coordinate during the evacuation.

Leadership lessons

Clear and effective communication channels are crucial for leaders to disseminate information, align teams, and respond promptly to emerging challenges.?

5. Prioritizing Profits over Safety

The decision to carry an insufficient number of lifeboats and travel at high speed through the heavy ice flow on the Titanic was driven by a desire to maximize passenger capacity and profits and raise market share.

Leadership Lessons

Leaders must prioritize the safety and well-being of all they serve instead of short-term financial or personal gains.

6. Failure to Learn from Past Incidents

Despite previous maritime incidents involving icebergs, the Titanic's operators failed to learn from these experiences and implement appropriate safety measures. In 1911, The Titanic's sister collided with a British naval cruiser, revealing how damage below the waterline damage could be caused to the hull by side impact. Revisions were not considered for the Titanic, which had a similar design.

Leadership lessons

?Leaders should foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement, actively seeking lessons from past failures or near-misses to enhance their organization's resilience.?

7. Lack of Accountability and Responsibility

In the aftermath of the Titanic disaster, there was a tendency for White Star Line and other operators to shift blame and avoid accountability. Many blamed Reginald Lee and Fredrick Fleet Fleet.Lee died shortly afterward. Fleet lived until 1965, serving in both World Wars, and died of suicide in 1965. A headstone was placed for him in the Titanic cemetery and defaced with the term "Murder."

An often sighted act of heroism in this disaster was the band and orchestra members of the Titanic. They played music until the ship sank. All the members perished. The firm hired by White Star Line hired the musicians and billed their families for the cost of the uniforms given as part of their job. The White Star Line didn't start compensating employees and passengers until December 1912.

Leadership lessons

Failure spotlights leadership. Effective leaders must take responsibility for their decisions and actions, fostering a culture of accountability within their organizations. This includes acknowledging mistakes, learning from them, and implementing corrective measures to prevent future occurrences.?

By studying the Titanic disaster, leaders can gain valuable insights into the importance of humility, preparedness, effective communication, prioritizing safety, continuous learning, and fostering a culture of accountability. Applying these lessons can help leaders navigate today's leadership challenges. The importance of this story is not having history as it so often does repeat itself. The key is what leaders learn and apply.

The Leadership Question for you then is ;

What lessons can you learn and apply from a deeper look at the seven lessons of the Titanic disaster?