"Strategy 1
Never lose sight of the ultimate goal, and focus energy on short-term objectives."
Leading at the Edge p.15
In this chapter, Shackleton's quick and wise decision making is mentioned as one of the 10 strategies of leadership that we can learn from his success.
In the lesson, we learnt that it is necessary for a good leader "to direct negative energy toward activities that divert people's attention from their problems and harness this energy for positive results."(26) By finding the "new mark", he, Shackleton succeed to keep team members' motivation high.
Nevertheless, I have one big question.
Was his original long-term goal really to cross the Antarctica?
On page 16, there is a sentence says "Shackleton was able to shift quickly his long-term goal from the crossing of the continent to bringing every man back alive." So obviously, this book says that his original long-term goal was to cross the Antarctica, and his new goal, which he got after the Endurance destroyed, was "returning safely, without loss of life"(16).
However, I have a little doubts on this interpretation.
Let's have a look at again the advertisement he used to gather volunteers for his adventure.
---
"Men wanted for Hazardous Journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success."(2)
---
If this was true, (there seems to be some suspicion about whether this advertisement really appeared on the London papers.) I believe that his primary goal was either to get honour&recognition or maybe just to satisfy his curiosity through an adventure in undeveloped region.
And I think probably his goal was the former. It is because he firstly came up with an idea to go to the North Pole, but changed the destination to the South Pole when he knew that someone else already achieved to be the first person to get to the North. From this story, we can clearly see that the destination, Antarctica, was not so important for him, but important thing was to do something great which nobody haven't accomplished yet.
So, I personally think that his ultimate goal was that he and his team get honour and recognition, and crossing the Antarctica was just a means to an end. I believe, this is why he could so easily change his "goal" from crossing the Antarctica to going home safely because it was not actually a "long-term goal" but a "means" or a "short-term goal" to achieve the real ultimate goal.
Thus, as far as I think, when he made this decision, he probably knew that it was enough proud and to be praised by others to return safely with everyone alive, from the Antarctica and the unexpected disaster happened there.
...but this is just my personal view.
I'm interested in how other people think about this.
Anyway, have a nice Christmas and New Year Holidays!*:D
In the lesson, we learnt that it is necessary for a good leader "to direct negative energy toward activities that divert people's attention from their problems and harness this energy for positive results."(26) By finding the "new mark", he, Shackleton succeed to keep team members' motivation high.
Nevertheless, I have one big question.
Was his original long-term goal really to cross the Antarctica?
On page 16, there is a sentence says "Shackleton was able to shift quickly his long-term goal from the crossing of the continent to bringing every man back alive." So obviously, this book says that his original long-term goal was to cross the Antarctica, and his new goal, which he got after the Endurance destroyed, was "returning safely, without loss of life"(16).
However, I have a little doubts on this interpretation.
Let's have a look at again the advertisement he used to gather volunteers for his adventure.
---
"Men wanted for Hazardous Journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success."(2)
---
If this was true, (there seems to be some suspicion about whether this advertisement really appeared on the London papers.) I believe that his primary goal was either to get honour&recognition or maybe just to satisfy his curiosity through an adventure in undeveloped region.
And I think probably his goal was the former. It is because he firstly came up with an idea to go to the North Pole, but changed the destination to the South Pole when he knew that someone else already achieved to be the first person to get to the North. From this story, we can clearly see that the destination, Antarctica, was not so important for him, but important thing was to do something great which nobody haven't accomplished yet.
So, I personally think that his ultimate goal was that he and his team get honour and recognition, and crossing the Antarctica was just a means to an end. I believe, this is why he could so easily change his "goal" from crossing the Antarctica to going home safely because it was not actually a "long-term goal" but a "means" or a "short-term goal" to achieve the real ultimate goal.
Thus, as far as I think, when he made this decision, he probably knew that it was enough proud and to be praised by others to return safely with everyone alive, from the Antarctica and the unexpected disaster happened there.
...but this is just my personal view.
I'm interested in how other people think about this.
Anyway, have a nice Christmas and New Year Holidays!*:D
I like your deep analysis of what one really bear in mind when he says he want to go to antarctic, and I think what you are saying is true. As explorer, it is natural for them to seek to achieve something that others had not achieve yet. That's because following the path that is created by others doesn't fit the word "explore." However, I personally think, doing something new doesn't always connected with getting fame. Scientists like Einstein is the case. He made scientific breakthrough, but not for fame, but curiosity or the feeling that he helped the world and people. Explorer are the same, there are people who will satisfy to the fact that himself/herself achieved that no other guys have ever done before.
返信削除Hi Maya,
返信削除I too really appreciate your deep analysis as Xiaotian has also mentioned. From my perspective, I think he was motivated by both. Exploring, while fueled by curiousity, was also essentially Shackleton's job. He had tried other enterprises without success. Getting a bunch of men together and going to some far away place was something he was good at, and if successful would lead to honor and recognition, which he seemed to deeply desire as well. He also needed the money, which by being successful he would earn a lot by going on speaking tours.
Oops, I hope that hasn't ruined the romance for you!