"He led mentally and physically and gave a sense to the individual that he, the individual was the most important part of the whole show."
Geologist Vibert Douglas,
Crewman of Ernest Shackelton
As the economy improves and employees have more job options, it is imperative that a manager or leader understand what creates employee loyalty. This has been a subject that has interested me over the years. I believe there are several key elements to creating loyalty. Probably the best example of a leader that drew great devotion and loyalty from his crew was Ernest Shackelton, a polar explorer who sailed with Robert F. Scott unsuccessfully trying to be the first to reach the South Pole before Roald Amundsen.
According to the book Shackelton's Way by Margot Morrell and Stephanie Capparell, Shackelton learned a great deal under the leadership of explorer Robert F. Scott, especially what not to do with crewmen. Scott was stingy with food supplies and unable to adapt to changing weather conditions which ultimately lead to Scott's unsuccessful attempt.
As a young man, Shackelton worked hard on numerous jobs aboard sailing ships. Nothing was beneath him, and even as he was chosen to lead expeditions, he always remembered to value every position on a ship as each had its importance towards the goal of reaching a destination.
So, what did Shackleton do as a leader to warrant his crew's tremendous loyalty even during the two years they were stranded on the ice in Antarctica?
- He valued each and every job aboard ship. He had performed most of these jobs as a young apprentice and could empathize with the dirtiness or heavy lifting of certain positions. When members of his crew were ill or unable to perform a job, he would jump in and do what he could to help out.
- He knew that a happy crew was a productive crew and with great humor and optimism he spent hours thinking of ways to entertain the crew during the long, dark winter. He would encourage individual talents to come forth like whittling, singing, dancing, etc. to distract them from their situation.
- He created structured days so everyone knew what would happen next, i.e., breakfast 9 am, lunch 1 pm, tea at 4 pm and dinner at 6 pm without fail. Each man, no matter his position had to rotate and do the job of another man. If he did not have the skill, he had to help the other person and experience the work "first hand".
- When someone fell ill or was injured, Shackleton nursed them back to health by himself as much as possible often giving up his cabin and bed, if necessary.
- He would communicate individually with each person about the ship's business to show his care and concern for their knowledge and comfort. He would always have an open door to his cabin if anyone had an issue or concern with their job or a concern with another member's work.
- He kept his naysayers close by. When the Endurance needed to be abandoned, he chose those crewmen who were the most difficult to lead to be his tent mates. This allowed them to see him in a more informal way and also win their admiration while keeping them from forming disgruntled groups.
Question for You:
Do you have high turnover with your staff? Are you finding talented employees leaving for other jobs?
Action for You:
Review the six aspects of Shackleton's leadership that created a group of loyal crewmen to follow him while stranded for two years in life threatening circumstances to eventually all survive and arrive home safely. A key characteristic that created loyal followers for Shackleton was his deep compassion and care for his employees. This cannot be faked. As a leader you must truly appreciate and look after the needs of your staff so they have the knowledge, tools and confidence to face any crisis that comes their way.
