You’re forming a new team to

undertake a high stakes venture.

What would you prioritize when
hiring?
Select the attribute you would prioritize when hiring
 Technical Skills
 Creativity
 Grit
 Prior Experience
 Attitude

 Independence

Submit

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.
—ALLEGED
NEWSPAPER AD
WRITTEN BY
SHACKLETON TO
RECRUIT HIS CREW
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.

—ALLEGED NEWSPAPER AD WRITTEN BY SHACKLETON TO

RECRUIT HIS CREW
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.
—ALLEGED
NEWSPAPER AD
WRITTEN BY
SHACKLETON TO
RECRUIT HIS CREW
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.
 —ALLEGED
NEWSPAPER AD
WRITTEN BY
SHACKLETON TO
RECRUIT HIS CREW
I've discussed this case with many professionals and it's not uncommon for people to
question Shackleton's decision to continue on from South Georgia Island. Indeed, the fact
that Shackleton pressed ahead despite the warnings about ice from local mariners - who had
both experience in the region and current knowledge of conditions - stands out. It is,
perhaps, less surprising when you consider the overall context of the expedition.

Antarctic exploration was, simply put, a big deal. It contained the possibility of scientific
discovery, fame for individual explorers, and honor for the nation affiliated with the
expedition. Beyond pride, nations could use expeditions that reached new areas to bolster
their territorial claims. That an exploration could function as a projection of a nation's power
is particularly significant given that World War I had just broken out as the Endurance
departed Britain.

Regardless of the factors that influenced his decision to proceed,

Shackleton must contend with his present situation. Imagine
yourself in Shackleton's shoes. You're in command of a ship that
has been immobilized within a sea of ice. What is your top
priority as leader of the expedition? What is the first thing you
do?

Consider the hiring criteria that you prioritized earlier:

1. Technical Skills
2. Creativity
3. Grit
4. Prior Experience
5. Attitude
6. Independence
Shackleton put a premium on attitude when hiring his team for the Endurance. While
he did not foresee being stuck in the ice, Shackleton knew this would be an arduous
and potentially dangerous expedition. Had he not prioritized attitude, managing the
energy, outlook, engagement, and cohesion of his team would have been much
more difficult.

Consider your team: how do you rate its energy?

What are the two to three forces that have the greatest effect on
your team's energy? For each one, consider both what you can
do to manage it now and how you can influence it through your
hiring practices—what will you do differently?

Loss of endurance
This ship is no more. Shackleton and crew are on
the ice floe with little more than three lifeboats, the
dogs, and essential equipment from the ship.
Shackleton insisted, however, on saving a crew
member’s banjo, seeing it as a valuable tool for
making mental medicine. As — if not more —
important now than before the ship went down.
While all are safe at the moment, the future and the best next
action are uncertain. Consider a few options and their likely
consequences. What would you do?
Select your course of action *Required
 Hike to land – days of hard labor over a hard surface, there’s a strong
possibility of exhausting both people and supplies

 Launch the lifeboats by widening a channel in the ice with hand tools –
risky work that may not pay off

 Wait out the ice – how long this will take is unknowable, surviving will be
hard work amid significant psychological turmoil

Three practices were essential to Shackleton’s success as a leader:

1. He continuously met with himself, assessing and reassessing his approach to
the changing mission.
2. He showed a relentless commitment to his primary objective—the safe return
of his team—while being entirely flexible about how to achieve it.
3. He maintained his team’s belief in the mission by managing both collective
and individual energy.

Look at your calendar for the next week and decide where you
can practice leadership like Shackleton. You need not face life
and death circumstances. No matter where you sit now, you can
be sure there is a mountain you need to climb. What are two or
three things you must do differently?

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.

—SIR RAYMOND PRIESTLEY, ANTARCTIC EXPLORER AND

GEOLOGIST
Shackleton knew that management was important,
but he never let it crowd out leadership. Take
another look at your calendar for the next few weeks
and consider how you are planning to spend your
time. How much will you be managing? How much
will you be leading? What should you do differently?

https://lessons.online.hbs.edu/shackleton/?
_ga=2.189820651.1389291894.1625116961-897659493.1625116961
https://lessons.online.hbs.edu/shackleton/part-ii/