Shackleton’s Legacy of Leadership
Reeling from the loss of the Endurance, Shackleton knew it was time to move. He declared, “The ship’s gone, the stores are gone…so I guess we’ll go home.” His leadership is, to this day, widely praised to this day by business, government, and industry leaders. He wasn’t infallible. Shackleton stretched his finances for the journey. Nor did he act on the ice warnings Grytviken whalers gave him during the South Georgia Island layover.
But during the worst of times, Shackleton planted the idea that there was something else, something to strive for, something within reach if they were ready for it. And if his confidence wavered, he never let the crew know. And all his human crew survived the ordeal.
