Endurance

I read this book for a class I took at the Graduate School of Business, and it tells the amazing story of the crew of the Endurance’s journey after being shipwrecked in Antarctica. The Endurance set out in 1914 to cross the Antarctic continent, and soon after entering the Weddell Sea, became trapped in the floes. The crew then had to go through an incredible journey to get to land, all while surviving in the Antarctic climate and weathering brutal polar winters. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good adventure story, it’s a very easy and fast read. It also has much to say about leadership in describing the actions of the bold and steadfast captain Ernest Shackleton throughout the entire journey.

The most important takeaway was the leadership style of Shackleton. Shackleton set a delicate balance between authority and egalitarianism in the culture of the crew, in both demanding obedience as the captain while also not entitling himself to any privileges that the other crew members do not have. I felt this was crucial since the Antarctic ordeals were more a test of organizational unity than the wits or tactics of any individual. The worst case would be a mutiny, which often strikes when inequality is combined with tough times. By eating the same amount of food, sleeping in the same place as the rest of the crew, even sharing a room with the most intolerable person in the crew so no one else must, the crew remained united in their singular mission to survive instead of dwelling on petty, temporary affairs.