‘Leadership Lessons From The Great Antarctic Explorer’

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Be bold in vision and careful in planning. Dare to try something new, but be meticulous enough in your proposal to give your ideas a good chance of succeeding.’

In a rapidly changing world, be willing to venture in new directions to seize new opportunities and learn new skills.’

Once you make a career decision, commit to stick through the tough learning period.’

Hire those who share your vision. Someone who clashes with your personality or the corporate culture will hinder your work.’

‘Motivate your staff to be independent. If you have been a good leader, they will have the determination to succeed on their own.’

Hire those with talents and expertise you lack. Don’t feel threatened by them. They will help you stay on the cutting edge and bring distinction to your organization.’

Take the time to observe before acting, especially if you are new to the scene. All changes should be aimed at improvements. Don’t make changes just for the sake of leaving your mark.’

Where possible, have employees work together on certain tasks. It builds trust and respect and even friendship.’

Create a work environment comfortable enough to entice professionals to spend the greater part of their waking hours there. Allow for some personal preferences.’

Give consistent feedback on performance. Most workers feel they don’t get nearly enough words of praise and encouragement.’

‘Get rid of unnecessary middle layers of authority. Direct leadership is more efficient in emergency situations.’

Source

Margot Morrell and Stephanie Capparell (2001). Shackleton’s Way: Leadership Lessons from The Great Antarctic Explorer

‘Harnessing The Power Of Emotional Intelligence To Build High-Performing Teams’

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‘Be proactive, not reactive, in how you communicate and resolve conflict.’

Always go to someone directly, one-on-one, when looking to clear things up.’

Make the effort to understand the top motivational drivers for each person on your team.’

‘Always tell the truth.’

Recognize relationship-building time as one of the most important drivers of team success.’

Gain alignment, and ensure there is understanding after every meeting.’

Acknowledge each employee’s ideas and inputs; factor these into decisions and opportunities.’

‘Don’t compromise your standard of performance. Set the bar high, work hard to get there, and help others get there, too.’

Eliminate distractions when connecting with your team. Have a ‘no screen time’ rule.’

Approach each conversation with confidence– lead with positive intent.’

Recognize your team members’ contributions to both the process and results with equal exuberance and praise.’

Make sure you over-communicate rather than under-communicate. Your team needs to clearly understand what you’re saying.’

Source

Christopher D. Connors (2024). The Champion Leader: Harnessing The Power of Emotional Intelligence to Build High-Performing Teams