Running Head: The Endurance.

Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary

Expedition: Lesson of Leadership in Crisis.

Managerial Skills & Human Resources

Matthew Good, professor manager

By
José Alejandro Martucci Almeida
Mohamad Mawas
Alejandro Tostado De Loizaga
Sarah Barrière

Real Madrid Graduate School

MBA in Sports Management
October 3, 2018

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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

Table of contents

Abstract 3
Introduction 4
The personal qualities of Sir Shackleton 4
The relational qualities of Sir Shackleton 7
Transcendental qualities of Shackleton's personality 9
How did he manage his crew's commitment and motivation? 9
In what way this explorer's leadership transcended? 10
Why could this expedition have been a failure? 11
Conclusions 14
References 15
Appendix A 16
Appendix B 17

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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

Abstract

Our investigation gives us the opportunity to observe the leadership and business knowledge in the
context of Ernest Shackleton's 1914 expedition to Antarctica. This story is a convincing example of crisis,
endurance, and triumph. Our work relates the facts of this heroic expedition aboard the Endurance boat and
analyzes Sir Ernest Shackleton's efforts to contain the loyalty, spirit, and the dedication of his team to a trip
that could have been their last expedition (The Aspen Institute, 2013).

Our research has also shown us that Shackleton has been recognized as one of the leading models by
many authors in management books. In 2001, Margaret Morrell and Stephanie Capparell wrote a book,
Shackleton's Way: Leadership Lessons from the Great Antarctic Explorer, and a leadership training program
was dedicated to him based on this experience. (https://www.shackletonsway.com/).

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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

Introduction
Ernest Shackleton was born in 1874, in Kilkea, in Ireland, and died in 1922, in South Georgia. This
Irish-born British explorer is considered one of the most important personalities of the adventurous period of
exploration in Antarctica. He attempted for the first time with Polar landscapes as the third officer on Robert
Falcon Scott's Discovery Expedition, which he had to leave early for health reasons. Determined to forget this
personal failure, he returned to Antarctica in 1907 as the leader of the Nimrod expedition.

In 1914, he coordinated an Antarctic expedition on the ship "Endurance." The goal was to cross the
South Pole. Regrettably, the difficulties accumulate, and the "Endurance" spends ten months trapped in the
ice, before being crushed and sinking. Shackleton then organized the repatriation of his team, which included
28 men, on the pack ice, and for over a year the crew lives on islands of ice floating with the winds and the
swell. They end up in canoes on a dry land island, and a last precarious rescue brings everyone back safely
home.

Shackleton's adventure can be seen from an entrepreneurial point of view, mainly from team
management. Indeed, Shackleton did not write down the history by the success of this travel, but for the way,
he has rebounded and protected his men. In this sense, the human adventure can be characterized as a success,
and Ernest Shackleton can be estimated according to the qualities of leadership he has shown: a very human
leader, both true leader, decision-maker and charismatic, and demonstrating a great empathy. A resonant
leader, as defined by Daniel Goleman (McKee, Boyatzis, Johnston, 2008).

Shackleton's newspaper ad for the expedition

The personal qualities of Sir Shackleton

Courage and strength in the loneliness of the leader:

In the worst moments of danger, Shackleton protects his men, bearing alone the responsibility. He
knew how to assume his loneliness as a leader while remaining human - he feels fear but faces him with
determination (Lansing, 2012).

All business leaders who have experienced the sinking of their company will recognize in this helpless
sailor contemplating his dream annihilated. Shackleton regularly uses these phrases in his story: "I cannot
describe," "not say," "the loss of Stamina had more than we can say," and so on. In these awkward moments,
is it the modesty of the retired chief who speaks, his sense of dignity in his role (Morrell & Capparell, 2011)

A real decision maker and risk manager:

Shackleton is a lonely leader, able to make decisions alone even if he feeds them with the technical
advice of his men, each in his expertise (navigator, carpenter, meteorologist, etc.) (Lansing, 2012).

This ability to make decisions is all the more admirable as the context is often high risk and decisions
are critical, any mistake can cost the lives of his men.

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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

In addition to the high risk, Shackleton is faced with many unknowns: will the wind turn, will the ice
open or close, will the temperature make the snow firm enough to sleds, or on the contrary impracticable, will
they find enough seals to feed themselves. The set of these parameters makes the task difficult for the decision-
maker Shackleton, yet when reading the story, we never feel it fail in its role (Morrell & Capparell, 2011).
How does he proceed?

One could say that his decision-making process appeals to both hemispheres of his brain equitably:
the left brain for analysis from unknown and the right brain for creativity and intuition. All his senses are
mobilized to make the right decision, the one that will best guarantee the survival of his men. Thus, it shows
throughout the expedition a remarkable risk manager (Morrell & Capparell, 2011).

A real crisis manager, directive:

His decisions, Shackleton communicates them without delay and in the form of instructions. It is often
directive, probably because the context is often an immediate crisis to manage (Lansing, 2012).

It is a directive leader who goes so far as to specify the tasks to be performed and the method to be
followed (micro-management) when the crisis context prescribes the right to make mistakes. In these moments
Shackleton is the expert at the controls and his men, performers without the right to initiative. It is a typical
pattern of effective crisis management through the use of directive leadership style (Koehn, Helms, Mead,
2003).

An excellent stock manager and human resources:

Throughout the Endurance adventure, Shackleton demonstrates an extraordinary sense of resource

management. It is one of the critical points of the unknown outcome of the adventure (28 men safe and sound
after 22 months of expedition including 19 months to survive in extreme conditions). It manages stocks (food,
equipment, etc.) as well as human resources (Lansing, 2012). We often see it between these two priorities:

▪ He does not hesitate to send his men back to the old camp, at the cost of an exhausting journey, to
recover the last food which he considers precious.
▪ When he sees that the food will be lacking, he decides to slaughter sled dogs to give more chances to
survive (this decision was according to him the most difficult of the adventure).
▪ He sometimes takes the risk of putting men's morale ahead of other imperatives such as light
equipment on the ice or the water: thus, he lets men carry away personal memories when they give up
Stamina.
▪ Similarly, when they leave the Endurance, Shackleton favors walking rather than waiting, judging it
more favorable psychologically (men would have the impression to advance) even if it was riskier.

His management of human resources seems surprisingly fine for an adventurer and a very directive
leader in appearance. Intuition as an ally: To make his decisions and actions, in addition to his analysis (analysis
of details and the known), Shackleton uses his intuition. One example among many others: One night as they
drift on a piece of pack ice and everything seems calm, Shackleton senses a danger. Around 11 pm, an
inexpressible feeling of uneasiness drove him to leave his tent. A few minutes later, the ice cracks under their
feet and men fall into the water! Fortunately, the "Boss" was watching and gave a first warning. Other times
show it in this ability to "feel" rather than to understand. So, he decides that the ice will let their boat through
before closing, so he chooses one island rather than another to find refuge; these choices are then based on
knowledge but also on the intuition of what is favorable to their survival (Koehn, Helms, Mead, 2003).

Intuition, Shackleton combines a form of creativity when he has to invent solutions to new problems.
Even if survival spurs each of these abilities, Shackleton is quite talented (Koehn, Helms, Mead, 2003).

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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

A good sense of timing:

Like all those who face life-size elements, Shackleton must rely on his sense of timing that he was
lucky enough to have developed. Thus, the movements of the ice, the winds or the state of the sea sometimes
leave only a short opportunity, an ephemeral breach in which Shackleton engulfs each time his crew. He can
only take advantage of these slim opportunities because he is always listening to his environment to choose
when to act. Sometimes it involves acting in seemingly more difficult circumstances but in reality, the best if
not the only ones possible (Lansing, 2012).

Of course, the survival mode helps to avoid perfectionism, but what an inspiration for all decision-
makers who forget that "one is better than two you will have it" and suspend their decision until all the
visionaries are green! Here we find the qualities of decision maker Shackleton mentioned above (McKay &
McKay, 2011).

Timing also means patience - accepting the expectation of the right moment - and they needed it, these
men stuck in the ice of Antarctica. Shackleton will say, "I do not think that one member of the expedition
would be discouraged by the situation; all men, happy and busy, would know how to act when the time comes.
For the moment, it was necessary to wait "(Shackleton, 2013).

Strong values:

We feel Shackleton inspired by strong values that allow him to carry out his actions.

Two examples: When the war broke out in 1914, Sir Shackleton was about to leave at last for the
expedition he had been preparing for many months. However, he immediately wrote to the authorities to offer
them the boat, equipment, supplies and all his crew to the services of the country. He cannot bear the idea of
going on an expedition when his compatriots leave to fight. The second example is during the expedition, one
of his men lost a glove, Shackleton gives him, and the man refuses; Shackleton insists and ends up telling him
that he prefers to throw the glove into the sea rather than enjoy it while one of his men has frozen fingers.
(Alexander, 2008)

His values give Shackleton strength to stay on course and reinforce his decisions in the face of
hardship.

An optimist & philosopher of luck:

Another type of skill now, which could be labeled “personal philosophy”. We can also make the link
with values, here that of optimism and opportunity. It is because Shackleton cultivates the art of seeing half-
full glass and good fortune.

For example, he regrets that his men, barely out of terrible danger, thought only of the lack of comfort
of the present moment, forgetting the good fortune that had brought us to this relatively safe land. Shackleton
preferentially retains good fortune and therefore believes in it (Morrell & Capparell, 2011).

Another example of his philosophy is a little later when they narrowly escape the sinking of their
canoe. While everything seemed worse, the face of things changed, he said, “I have often marveled at the

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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

imperceptible limit that separates success from bankruptcy and the sudden rebound that changes a certain
disaster into a relative success.” (Shackleton, 2013).

The relational qualities of Sir Shackleton

Following the exploration of Sir Ernest Shackleton's leadership qualities, we have seen his personal
qualities. We analyzed that he was active in his leadership solitude, intuitive and positive, excellent manager.
However, Shackleton was also powerful by his influence. A resonant leader, leader and visionary, and a
sustainable manager close to his men.

A resonant leader, who knows how to share his vision:

The definition of the resounding leader by Daniel Goleman, Boyatzis, Johnston, and McKee: it
inspires, generates passion, enthusiasm, motivation and commitment around him. Through his emotional skills,
he manages himself and others to get the best. The resonant leader considers the concerns of his team through
his empathy and knows how to lead them in a positive direction (McKee, Boyatzis, Johnston, 2008).

This is exactly how Shackleton manages his men. Worsley, the captain of Endurance, testifies:
"Wherever he is, he inspires confidence, and his state of mind naturally influences that of the rest of the troop."
(Shackleton, 2013)

What does he spread, who thus wins his men? Values, courage, flawless optimism and vision.

Shackleton knows how to guide his men with a vision, always convincing even when everything seems
lost. He never admits defeated and knows how to bounce even in the most desperate situations.

As the dark endurance crushed by the ice, ending the chances of continuing the expedition and moving
the team in a terrible situation on the pack ice, Shackleton bounces immediately and leads his men: "So now,
we'll go home! He said merely (Alexander, 2008).

This will be the mother of Shackleton's vision, a vision of salvation for him and each of his men, a
vision they never lose sight of. She has a body with confidence in the future: to will and to believe. Beyond
the ultimate goal of returning safely to Europe, Shackleton also knows how to cultivate his vision on a daily
basis by not letting anyone fail; not for a second does he forget to preserve the sparks of life (McKee, Boyatzis,
Johnston, 2008).

A pacesetter:

Shackleton himself embodies his vision in action, setting an example. He is in this a true pacesetter.
He gets involved himself, gets wet (literally and figuratively!), takes the worst place, has less resources, and
so on. Taking risks himself to spare men, he deprives himself of them (clothes, food, etc.). For example, it is
he who leaves with some men to seek help, risking his life in a senseless crossing on a raging sea. According

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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

to Paul-Emile Victor, Shackleton never gave up, and never took unnecessary risks, and to be the first to assume
the dangers (Alexander, 2008).

A responsible leader:

Incredibly, during his four challenging Antarctic expeditions, Shackleton lost no man. Worsley says,
"His idea was that we put our trust in him, that we placed ourselves in his hands, and if anything were to
happen to us, he was morally responsible. When Dark Endurance, Shackleton gives up his dream of the
expedition, and his mission instantly becomes to preserve the lives of his sailors (Shackleton, 2013).

A leader in sustainable management (preservation of resources):

Driven by this responsibility, Shackleton is a genuinely sustainable manager. Each of his choices about
food, for example, considers the needs of his men, the resources available and the risks: he calculates the
rations with the biscuit ¼, adds a "bonus" when he can to liven up the life his team, optimizes stocks with the
seals and the birds they can slaughter (Alexander, 2008).

Here is a manager whose choices are guided by a desire for ecology, preservation of resources.
Moreover, this sustainable management is based in particular on his emotional intelligence.

Endowed with empathy and emotional intelligence (aware of everyone's needs):

Shackleton has a keen awareness of the different needs of his men and feels when a lack is too
significant.

When they leave the boat caught in the ice and went off by sled, Sir Shackleton asks his men to take
only two pounds of personal effects, and in such circumstances, this authorization is all the more critical. So,
we threw the money, but we kept the photographs. (Alexander, 2008)

He spares his team the bad news. He knows each of his men well. As he knows how to read the "signs
of demoralization" in others, and responds by infusing - sometimes forcibly - the will to live. So he puts in the
furnace a man who had expressed the desire to lie down and die. Shackleton will say, "The tiring and
challenging task of maintaining the fire took away his dark thoughts. I found him a little later, watching the
drying of a pair of socks seriously. The occupation had brought his thoughts back to the little worries of
existence (Alexander, 2008).

Throughout the adventure, Shackleton demonstrates an excellent emotional intelligence and a good
knowledge of the human. At the time, the explorer had only forty years.

A collaborative leader - cohesion catalyst:

In Shackleton's story, there are very few arguments and even disagreements within the team. While it
is the "the boss," who tells, but he quotes many passages from the notebooks of his men. It reveals a constant
and deep cohesion, positively reinforced by extreme adversity, but also the image of the leader, very human
(Alexander, 2008).

There was a real group cohesion, remarkable, despite the lack of resources (not enough warm clothes,
using sleeping bags, canoes or tents, food). Everything was made for conflicts or even cannibalistic
temptations!

A leader who trusts, and knows how to delegate:

Shackleton eventually leaves some of his men on Elephant Island to seek help. He then delegates all
his responsibilities to Wild and tells him that he leaves him all the control of the situation and the freedom of
action and decision in his judgment. Under Wild's command, the whole group survived (Morrell & Capparell,
2011).

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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

Habits
Attributes - Proactive (find solutions)
- Authority - Goal in mind (survive)
- Commitment - First thing first (throw money save
- Motivation pictures)
- Responsibility - Win/win (Everyone survives)
- Facing risk - Understand and understood (give
- Accept challenges more food to the people that needed
the most)
- Sinergy (everyone cooperates)
- Sharpen the saw (tension
management, clarify compromises,
visualize and resolve problems,
empathy and proactivity)

Shackleton's attributes and leader habits

Transcendental qualities of Shackleton's personality

In conclusion of the analysis of the qualities of Shackleton, we wish to highlight five traits of his
personality which appear to us the most important to the success of this expedition:

Communication Optimism Empathy Self-confidence Flexibility

How did he manage his crew's commitment and motivation?

A leader in times of crisis, leading to lead the way and ensure that his men follow him without
flinching, Shackleton promotes cohesion at the same time and privileges his men as all good collaborative
leader. Moreover, he is also a visionary leader, a boss with inspiring leadership. In the end, Sir Ernest
Shackleton manages to combine four of the major types of leadership defined by Daniel Goleman (McKee,
Boyatzis, Johnston, 2008).

He also has a majority of skills of the resonant leader as shown in the table below:

▪ Self-awareness
- Awareness of your emotions: knowing how to read your emotions, recognize their impact on
others, and know how to use your feelings to make decisions.
- Fair self-assessment: knowing one's strengths and limitations.
- Self-confidence: a strong sense of one's worth and abilities.
- Self-management, self-management
- Managing emotions: keeping emotions and unpleasant sensations under control.
- Transparency: Display honesty, integrity, and reliability.
- Adaptability: flexibility in changing situations, ability to overcome obstacles.
- Performance: Willingness to improve performance to achieve excellence.

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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

- Initiative: willingness to act and seize opportunities.

- Optimism: to be positive and constructive.
▪ Social awareness
- Empathy: to feel the emotions of others, to understand their point of life and to take an
active part in their concerns.
- Organizational Awareness: knowing how to read the innuendo, politics and decision networks
in the organization.
- Service: Recognize and respond to the needs of followers and customers.
▪ Relationship Management
- Inspiring Leadership: Motivate and guide with a compelling vision.
- Influence: handle a range of persuasion tactics.
- Development of others: to improve others through feedback and advice.
- A catalyst for change: initiate, manage and drive change.
- A catalyst for change: initiate, manage and drive change.
- Conflict management: resolving disagreements.
- Link Creator: Cultivate and maintain relationships.
- Teamwork and collaboration: cooperate and strengthen team cohesion.

Did Shackleton still have flaws?

In the stories of his men, there is a little fault. Paul-Emile Victor mentions in the preface of the book
"a certain taste for excess, a somewhat" crazy "side, (...) somewhat prone to boasting, to reckless temerity",
and he concludes: "Only the spirits lukewarm, frightened by the wind from the open sea, are sheltered from
this kind of reproach which weighs for nothing, let us hasten to say it, since it is a question of gauging at the
bottom of the value of a man ".

In what way this explorer's leadership transcended?

Effective leadership styles and behaviors:

According to Blanchard’s Model of Situational Leadership, leadership can be conceptualized into four
styles, each of which is composed of specific behavioral dimensions. These four styles are delegating,
supporting, coaching and directing. In based on the directive behavior and the supporting behavior we can
define Shackleton’s leadership style.

Ernest Shackleton has a coaching leadership style because all the time he was directing his team and
support them in every action that they took. Also, as we had seen on the previous analysis, he always took the
important decisions for the group and was mindful about the necessities of each of his crew members. In this
way and with this leadership style he could save all of his crew.

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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

In addition, Ernest Shackleton is entirely in the model of transactional leadership, which is a leadership
style of manager-oriented behaviors oriented toward the satisfaction of his or her interests and those of
employees through transactions (cost/benefits, Bass & Bass, 2008). This style involves different behavioral
dimensions, some of which are characterized by reactive management (exception management) and others by
the more proactive management of exchanges (contingent reward). Thus, the contingent reward (CR) is to
communicate to everyone the expectations and objectives pursued, as well as the rewards that will result from
the achievement of these objectives (Bass & Bass, 2008).

We believe that Shackleton has adopted this leadership behavior to transcend his men. The foundation
of this effective leadership may be complemented by other components associated with the transformational
style (Humphrey, 2013). As part of neo-charismatic theories (Bass & Bass, 2008), transformational leadership
goes beyond a simple transaction with subordinates (Humphrey, 2013). This style of leadership would be
distinguished by influential behaviors designed to inspire employees to transcend their interests and to guide
individual efforts toward achieving organizational goals and values (Burns, 1978). Transformational
leadership is operationalized through four main behavioral dimensions (Bass & Bass, 2008). Individual
Consideration (IC) refers to the fact that a leader demonstrates respect and interest for the employee, its
development and needs. Intellectual Stimulation (IS) is defined as the fact that a leader encourages employees
to think differently, to be creative and to question the way things are done. Inspiring Motivation (IM) refers to
the leader's ability to motivate employees to perform by raising their expectations with an engaging vision of
the future. Finally, the idealized influence is expressed when the leader motivates his employees by behaviors
and attitudes, such as integrity and putting his interests second to those of the organization, making him a role
model. This last dimension can be subdivided into two components: idealized attitudinal influence (IIAT) and
idealized behavioral influence (IIBE). The idealized attitudinal influence is more concerned with the
perceptions and feelings felt by employees towards their leader, such as his level of charisma, the pride of
working with the person, the perceived trust of the leader, and so on. Idealized behavioral influence refers
primarily to the fact that the leader acts according to clear values and principles, and that he makes sure to give
meaning to work by the realization of a vision or objectives for his employees.

Why could this expedition have been a failure?

When Sir Shackleton decided to leave for Antarctica, it was only his third trip; he had an insignificant
experience. Like most leaders, Shackleton had a vision and mission: to fulfill his dream. This scientific mission
from the South Pole required significant funding, and England was preparing for the First World War.
Nevertheless, to raise funds, Shackleton used his creativity to promote this expedition. He just set up a
marketing plan explaining to the sponsors the benefits of this mission (photos, publications, etc.). He also
found sponsors with several companies. Once the money was found, Shackleton had to find two ships, compose
a team and gather the necessary supplies for the challenge. The boats had to be arranged according to his ideas,
for example, a darkroom to develop the pictures, berths for sled dogs, etc. For the crew, Shackleton had made
a public announcement. More than 5000 candidates came forward. He had classified them into three categories:
"crazy," "hopeless," and "possible." He met everyone in the "possible" category, and he relied on his instinct
to judge each person. The primary quality that Shackleton was looking for was optimism and preferred men
who had experience on fishing boats. However, the most important positions were not selected first. Shackleton
first chose the supporting roles and assigned the key positions second. Which from an entrepreneurial point of
view happens to be an inverted schema. It would have been necessary to begin its pyramid of organization
chart by the top and not by the bottom. Shackleton might have consented to accept that this expedition was not
going to be a success, as he hoped. Many of his friends, who had significant experience in these trips, refused
to participate. They had tried to dissuade Shackleton from leaving in these weather conditions; they had pointed
out his lack of qualification with sled dogs, etc. However, nothing would stop Shackleton; he had convinced
himself that this mission was indispensable to the society. Despite all these warnings, Shackleton's pride took
over. At that time, Shackleton's reasoning ability proved to be non-existent. He dreamed of honor for him and
his family, and his vision was such that he felt invincible. In the end, his obstinacy, his dream of glory are the
reasons why this ship was swept away by the ice (Koehn & Helms &Mead, 2003).

It is hard to say that Shackleton did not have the leadership skills because he had the most all of the
qualities. He planned every detail. He made sure that he would have the required materials to make this tour.
He managed to maintain his leadership position. It is because of his leadership qualities that Shackleton was
able to motivate his crew. He was so passionate about this mission that he could pass on this passion to others.

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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

In today's society, it would seem that Shackleton is a great leader, and he is cited as an example in many
universities teaching management. However, isolating the problem, one can say that he was too self-confident.
He knew that he was going on a dangerous expedition, but his sense of pride was so strong that he could not
be rational. If Shackleton had thought about it, it would have been consistent to wait until the next year to
leave, once the pack ice was stronger. He had an ego problem in his leadership. He did proper planning for
this expedition, he failed to plan for the fact that the boat could be washed away. Moreover, when he hired his
crew, he chose the people not according to their skills, but mainly through personal affinities (Koehn & Helms
&Mead, 2003).

Today, this vision of management would not shock us. However, even though we admire his
determination and dedication to achieving his goal, at no time did Shackleton explore all the options for this
expedition and would have considered the possibility of not doing so. We can say that regarding leadership, it
is better to explore all your options, even failures (Koehn & Helms &Mead, 2003).

Analysis and evaluation of alternatives

When Ernest Shackleton arrived at the island of South Georgia, there were already signs that the
expedition would be threatened. Despite this, Shackleton decided to continue. To postpone the expedition
would threaten the financial and personal arrangements already made by Shackleton, and ruin his reputation.
His crew and his sponsors expected Shackleton to succeed in this expedition and he could not disappoint them.
Nevertheless, on the other hand, the crew and the leaders could have used this time to think, discuss and
evaluate the risks of this expedition. Shackleton also had the opportunity to take another road. When he arrived
at Dawson-Lambton Glacier. His ship had already fought against the pack ice and had almost sunk once.
However, Shackleton, instead of reducing risk, chose to continue the adventure. We believe that it was at this
time of the expedition that Shackleton should have emphasized its quality of flexibility, a quality he put
forward when they were permanently trapped in icebergs (FCPA Compliance and Ethics, 2018).

Another expedition was on the other side of Antarctica (Aurora ship). Shackleton did not try to find
out how this mission was going. Indeed, this result would help Shackleton to analyze his expedition differently
(Koehn & Helms &Mead, 2003).

To express a solid evaluation

Shackleton promoted this expedition as an entrepreneurial project. By selling this mission, he marketed
the idea to political elites and corporate executives. Shackleton was a leader who had all the qualities to
succeed. He had gained some notoriety for his past performances. So, what was the difference with this
expedition? We do not have enough comparison information from Shackleton's previous missions. We must
stick to the information we have and make an overall analysis. Shackleton was inoperative as the leader of the
Endurance Expedition. Shackleton's failure is due to poor decision-making, lack of planning and cheating
(Koehn & Helms &Mead, 2003).

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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

First by fundraising for this excursion. Shackleton's decision making is inappropriate. However, when
Shackleton achieved his goal, he decided to stop collecting money. Shackleton needs two ships. For some
unknown reason, he did not calculate inflation, and he did not plan to wait until he had sufficient money to
buy a better ship. Instead, he bought a used ship and named it "Endurance." The mission was doomed when
Shackleton decided to start the expedition with less money to secure a ship worthy of the adventure (Koehn &
Helms &Mead, 2003).

Secondly, Shackleton dismissed the advice of other captains of shipping. They recommended
Shackleton to postpone the expedition until next year. Shackleton made the wrong decision and ventured a
month later to discover that this information was accurate. Instead of stopping the expedition, Shackleton put
his team in danger (Koehn & Helms &Mead, 2003).

Moreover, thirdly, Shackleton made the wrong decision not to evacuate the crew and resupplying until
the ship was turned off 30 degrees and water seeped inside the boat. Even if for Shackleton this decision was
the right one, he was not proactive (Koehn & Helms &Mead, 2003).

Shackleton's vision made sense. His goal was clear and concise. However, the details of preparation
have never been precise, and it seems that no emergency plan has been developed. There were no "What If"
investigations.

Honesty was one of Shackleton's leadership characteristics. Unfortunately, at the beginning of the
expedition, this quality was lacking. Shackleton was not honest with himself about the success of this
adventure, but also by his lack of discernment and pride, he was not honest with his team and his sponsors.
Not being honest with himself turned out to be the most harmful for the expedition. Shackleton was also not
honest with his crew. He did not expose the information that the captains of ships had given him. He also did
not tell them to prepare to leave the ship when he knew it was only a matter of time (Andrade, 2011).

Finally, Shackleton proved ineffective. The expedition was a failure. The causes of this sinking are
lousy decision making, a lack of planning and honesty. However, oddly, this expedition has been successful,
and Shackleton is now one of the great leaders. We believe that he has developed all his qualities and
transformed his leadership weaknesses in the urgency of the situation. This mission has been successful in
bringing all his crew back safely (Cohen, 2011).

Our recommendations:

Shackleton missed a valid plan of action for the expedition. After acquiring the necessary funding and
supplies, he should have turned his attention to the commitment of his crew, and introduced them to the
conditions of survival of this sector. Living near the Arctic Circle, there were undoubtedly many places to
practice and become familiar with these duties (McKay & McKay, 2011).

Shackleton made a big mistake in not implementing a proper rescue plan. A rescue team and a
deployment schedule were essential to improve the survival chances of the expedition. A rescue procedure
could have been easily implemented in South Georgia, which is strategically placed to provide immediate aid
in case of emergency. This approach could have helped to significantly reduce the health risks of its crew and
the amount of equipment destroyed during their desperate struggle to survive (McKay & McKay, 2011).

Finally, Shackleton had to postpone the departure of the expedition until the ice retreated and
conditions were adequate for the expedition. An appropriate risk calculation would have shown that these
chances of success were low. Shackleton was to take advice from local whalers in the area and should have
reconsidered his departure at sea. This strategy would have saved Shackleton and his unnecessary crew risks
(McKay & McKay, 2011).

Following this analysis, we suggest the following corrective action planning:

1. Plan a training program for all crewmembers.

2. Consult with experts on wilderness and polar rescue strategies and integrate this program with crew
training.

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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

3. Prepare a logistical rescue plan for the crew, boat, cargo and plan an agenda for deployment from
South Georgia.
4. Include in the shipping plans a deployment schedule of the number of months or the deadline before
having to end the mission.

Conclusions
In the end, Ernest Shackleton became a principal model for managers throughout the world because
he owned all five of the representative leadership qualities: design the way, encourage a shared perception,
stimulate the method, allow others to practice, and stimulate the heart. Shackleton was mostly the reason that
kept his men from undoing; the reason that kept his men sound in mind. His optimism encouraged the crew
and gave them hope that they can accomplish the unachievable; that they have the skill to perform and finally
surpass Mother Nature at her own game (Cohen N. F., 2011). Finally, Shackleton was “The Boss” who
attended; and by the crew perceiving that, made them more prone to follow orders and extra hard work to
realize the goal of the Endurance expedition: to return to their families alive. To the men, Ernest Shackleton
essentially became the materialization of survival; if he were to die, then survival would die with him because
the crew would indubitably lose themselves without their leader (Andrade, 2011). As Sir Shackleton once said,
“If you are a leader, a fellow that other fellows look to, you have got to keep going.”(Shackleton, 2013)

Today, what does the explorer Shackleton inspire in our way of managing?

▪ Showing empathy. It is about identifying those who have trouble keeping up. Shackleton will never
let the weakest fall.
▪ Plan and anticipate while knowing how to adapt. A leader must re-examine his goals, often and at the
right time. On several occasions, Shackleton saves his men from certain death. For example, by
deciding to leave the boat before the ice crushes it.
▪ Remember that a leader is both a guarantor of vision and overall cohesion. For Ernest Shackleton, in
this case, it was to show the course (here the South Pole, then the return to England) and never to
deviate, while continually maintaining the team spirit.
▪ Nourish hope and build support. Shackleton is always listening to the morale of his men. If he feels
too weak to part with their belongings, he waits for the right moment. Moreover, if he sends them to
get food on the Endurance while they are exhausted, it is because he knows that it will mitigate their
fatigue.

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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

References
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Andrade, A. (2011). What Makes A Great Leader. Retrieved from
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Bass, B. & Bass, R. (2009, December 1). The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research, and
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Cohen, N. F. (2011). Leadership Lessons From the Shackleton Expedition. The New York Times.
FCPA Compliance and Ethics. (2018, March 1). Episode 82-Leadership Lessons from Henry Worsley and
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Koehn, N. F, Helms, E., Mead, Ph. (2003, April). Leadership in Crisis: Ernest Shackleton and the Epic
Voyage of the Endurance. Retrieved from https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=29815
Lansing, A. (2012, April 29). Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage. Hachette UK.
McKay, B. & McKay, M. (2011, August 2). Leadership Lessons from Ernest Shackleton. Retrieved from A
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ernest-shackleton/
McKee, A., Boyatzis, R. E., Johnston, F. (2008, March 6). Becoming a Resonant Leader: Develop Your
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Morrell, M. & Capparell, S. (2011, January 11). Shackleton’s Way: Leadership Lessons from the Great
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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

Appendix A
FCPA Compliance and Ethics. (2018, March 1). Episode 82-Leadership Lessons from Henry Worsley and
Ernest Shackleton [video file].

Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cLUY0bwGN0

Description: This Richard Lummis video introduces us to the main lessons of leadership during the
"Endurance" expedition, during which Ernest Shackleton, Henry Worsley, and their companions traveled to
Antarctica. The questions in this video are: What is the primary leadership lessons of the two men and their
expeditions? Are they still relevant for a manager nowadays?

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Running Head: The Endurance. Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition

Appendix B
The Aspen Institute. (2013, June 29). Crisis Leadership: Lessons for Here and Now (Full Session). [video file].
Retrieved from
Description: In this video, Nancy Koehn, a historian at Harvard Business School, examines two cases of active
leadership in moments of great confusion: the presidency of Abraham Lincoln through the Civil War and the
explorer of the Antarctic Ernest Shackleton when his ship Endurance was stuck in the ice. Koehn extracts from
these stories several crucial lessons about individual leadership and its impact.

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