SHACKLETON CH 6

●Minimize status difference and special privileges

●Insist on mutual respect and courtesy

   Shackleton was a leader of the team, but he never took a big attitude. Far from it, he tried to be equal to the members even under the desperate circumstance. Of course, he demanded all crew members to be equal despite that there were various people on the ship such as scientists, physicians and seamen.

   For example, when there were not enough number of sleeping bags, Shackleton did not take the bag arbitrarily by asserting the privilege of leader. Instead, he decided who got the bags by a lottery (and surprisingly he did not participate in it).

   This attempt created a environment where everyone respected each other.

   I think this mutual respect contributed to the success for everyone coming back alive because I believe good human relationship is one of the most important things for survival at the edge, and for creating such a circumstance, leaders have to treat everyone in the same way in order to be the first role model who show the respect for everyone.

   However, it must be very hard to do so because people are likely to lose self-control and come to put the heaviest weight on their own lives at the edge, or rather, come to be impossible to consider others in despair. Therefore, I really admire Shackleton for his behavior. Despite he was a leader, he never exercised the authority even in the severe situation, but he treated crews equally. He did a really great job as a leader.

   Why was he able to behave in this way? I think his optimism helped him  be cool-headed enough to care others. The confidence for survival made him seek the certain way to get crew members back. Probably he knew that keeping the fine mood was closer to success than acting selfishly because by cooperating with others, we can often get some fresh ideas which cannot be came up with alone. On the other hand, bad relationship will eliminate our motivation and also there are a lot of things which are hard to do only one person. His inborn optimism was really helpful there to be calm, also, it was fortunate for him to have learned the importance of human relationship which enabled him to take care of other members.

   Of course, I am confident to think of others a lot because I have done so until now when making some decisions with other people, and I know the importance of human relationship. However, I have never experienced such a severe situation as the expedition, so I do not know how I behave at the edge. Therefore, I will try to be optimistic in my daily life so that I can be cool enough to care others even under the terrible circumstance following Shackleton.