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On the Leader Fluent Podcast, we’re in a series on my book, Insanely Practical Leadership: 12 No-Nonsense Keys to Master the Art of Leading Yourself and Others. The book addresses a host of insanely practical skills, and it provides you and your team with the tools to apply the insights to your life and leadership. The book is now available on Amazon, Kindle, and other retailers. On today’s episode, you’ll get a taste of my chapter on, “How to Lead People.” Be sure to order Insanely Practical Leadership today, and check out the Masterclass as well as the bonus content that goes with the book HERE.
One of the greatest leadership feats of the 20th century was Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.
The goal of the expedition was clear: cross the continent of Antarctica from west to east. But in the end, Shackleton’s greatest leadership feat wasn’t the crossing of Antarctica, but winning a two-year wrestling match to survive its ice-cold grip.
The 28-man crew sailed on Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, and departed London on Saturday, August 1, 1914. But when they were only 60-miles from their destination, the ship became trapped by the ice floe, where it remained for months.
Then, in early May, darkness covered Antarctica as the sun disappeared from the sky for the next 79 days.
By the end of August, the Endurance cracked as the pressure of the floe tested its strength. And on October 27, 1915, Shackleton gave orders to abandon ship. Just 25 days later, Endurance was crushed and swallowed by the ice.
The conditions on the ice floe were brutal. When the men had to relieve themselves, ice became their toilet paper. When their eyes watered, tears rolled down their faces and froze on the tips of their noses. To make matters worse, food was sparse, and the dreadful day came when they had to shoot their dogs just so they could eat.
Finally, on April 9, the Boss—as Shackleton was known—gave the order to launch the three lifeboats into the water to make a perilous, sleepless journey through the violent ocean. And after a heroic effort, the men finally made landfall on Elephant Island.
Then, Shackleton assembled a five-man crew to sail 800 miles to South Georgia in hopes of returning with a ship to collect the rest of the men.
The crew had to sail through the Drake Passage, affectionately known as “The Drake Shake” because of its violent and inhospitable waves and weather. But against all odds, on May 10, the crew arrived. It had been 522 days since they originally left South Georgia.
There was only one problem: they were on the opposite side of the island from the Stromness whaling station. And between them and the station were 10,000-foot mountains. For 36-hours the men marched through the snow before finally making it to the whaling station. And then, after four valiant attempts, they rescued the 22 men waiting on Elephant Island.
Why do I share the story of Shackleton’s perilous two-year journey—a journey in which he didn’t lose a single man? Because in his journey you discover eight valuable lessons that can help you lead people today. Let me share those lessons with you.
1. Vision: Communicate an Inspiring Picture of the Future
Shackleton began with an unwavering vision to cross the continent of Antarctica from west to east. You might hear this and say, “But Shackleton didn’t achieve his vision.” I would argue he didn’t achieve his original vision. But he did achieve the most important vision: to get his entire crew safely home.
After the ice swallowed the Endurance, Shackleton pulled his men together, served them hot tea, and then confidently said, “Ship and stores have gone, so now we’ll go home.” His vision was always clear. You’re probably not taking a voyage to Antarctica anytime soon, but if you want people to follow, you must cast an inspiring vision for the future—a vision that’s better than where you are right now.
2. Strategy: Create a Path Forward
Every vision requires a strategy to seize it. Shackleton’s original strategy to fulfill his vision involved two ships, specific polar routes, and detailed action plans. And when his vision was thwarted, he made the necessary adjustments to his strategy to get the crew safely home. So, what makes a good strategy? Five things:
First, you need to understand your current reality—that is your strengths, weaknesses, and obstacles. Your current reality is your starting place. Second, you need to do research to discover the best practices to achieve your vision. Third, you need to secure the resources to achieve the vision. Fourth, you need to create a roadmap with clear goals to move toward the vision. And fifth, you need to rollout the strategy to your team with a clear communication plan.
When you understand reality, do your research, secure the resources, create a roadmap forward, and then rollout the strategy to the team, you’ll begin moving toward the vision.
3. Team Expectations: Define Roles and Goals
When five thousand applications flooded Shackleton’s office for his Antarctic expedition, he did the tedious work of selecting the right men for the job. Well, we must do the same. And to make that happen, each person on your team needs a clear role and a specific goal. Your job is to define the role. Their job is to define the goal.
For the role, create written role descriptions that articulate the expectations and responsibilities of each role. And for the goals, let each team member choose their own. This will increase buy-in and create ownership. Just make sure the goals are aligned with each team member’s responsibilities and the organization’s highest priorities.
4. Equipping: Prepare the Team to Succeed
You can’t do a job without the right tools, and Shackleton provided the very best scientific instruments and polar equipment to accomplish the task. So, how can you prepare your team for success today? I recommend the TREC method. TREC, T-R-E-C, stands for Training, Resources, Experience, and Coaching.
When you give your team practical training, the resources to do the job, experiences to help them grow, and personalized coaching, you’ll set them up for success.
5. Delegation: Empower the Team to Act
Shackleton had a high standard, but he wasn’t a micro-manager. He delegated responsibilities to team members and then trusted them to excel. So, what does effective delegation look like? It requires the four A’s: Assignment, Authority, Accountability, and Affirmation.
First, you need to assign tasks based on the giftedness of your team. Second, you need to give team members authority to make decisions in the areas you’ve assigned to them. Third, you need to hold team members accountable to deliver results. And fourth, you need to provide affirmation to each team member by encouraging them along the way.
Assignment, Authority, Accountability, and Affirmation is your delegation roadmap to fully empower your team to succeed.
6. Collaboration: Foster Relationships, Cooperation, and Unity
One of Shackleton highest values was unity among his crew. So, how did he achieve it? For one, he balanced the work of the scientists and the seamen by having them help each other. In addition, each crew member took turns sailing, doing night watch, caring for the dogs, and scrubbing the floors. Shackleton even rotated work assignments, so the men could build friendships as they served alongside one another.
Fighting for the unity of your team is paramount, and it happens best when you build relationship, collaborate on projects, and nip divisive behavior in the bud. When you do these things, unity forms among the team. The seventh key to leading people is…
7. Compassion: Show People You Care
Shackleton cared deeply for his crew, and he did his best to show it in personal and collective ways. For example, he assembled his crew to have conversations, play games together, observe holidays, celebrate birthdays, and enjoyed sing-alongs. On top of that, each day, even during blizzards, he would visit each tent to inquire about every man’s health and comfort.
Compassion for people is essential in leadership. After all, you’re not just doing tasks, you’re leading human beings. So, take time to ask how they’re doing, inquire about their family, celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, and compliment them publicly. On top of that, listen to their feedback, offer to help when they’re struggling, learn to say thank you, invest in their growth, and have fun together.
None of these tips are rocket science, but all of them require intentionality to show your team how much you care.
8. Communication: Keep People in the Know
Shackleton’s communication was honest, optimistic, and frequent. And if we’re going to lead people well, we too must communicate frequently and positively, even in the midst of hardship.
There you have it: 8 keys to lead people: Vision, strategy, team expectations, equipping, delegation, collaboration, compassion, and communication. These aren’t the only keys to successful leadership, but they’re essential to get you on the right path.
LEARN MORE ABOUT INSANELY PRACTICAL LEADERSHIP:
The teaching in this podcast series comes from my book, Insanely Practical Leadership: 12 No-Nonsense Keys to Master the Art of Leading Yourself and Others. Get your copy of the book, masterclass, and study guide to maximize your leadership and to invest in the growth of your team. You can learn more about Insanely Practical Leadership and the bonus content that goes with the book HERE. You can also order the book on Amazon, Kindle, and other retailers.
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