In 1914, renowned explorer Earnest Shackleton, set out on an expedition to Antarctica with 27 men. Shackleton failed, he never made it to Antarctica, yet he is acclaimed for his extraordinary leadership of his crew through an almost unimaginable crisis. After months in the bitter cold they were navigating through icebergs when they became wedged in between tons and tons of ice. Despite their best efforts they could not budge the ship and decided they’d have to wait for the thaw. It never came. They were stuck on the ship for 10 months before the ice crushed the ship and it fell apart. They lived the next 10 months in tents on the ice, with no sense of if, or how, they would be rescued.
Imagine the anxiety, the restlessness, the fear! Harvard Business School professor Nancy Koehn, who has studied leadership for over 20 years, explains in these excerpts, some of the keys to his extraordinary leadership in a crisis.
She begins, “How do you manage the energy of yourself and your team when the stakes suddenly get high, the volatility, your uncertainty increases, and there’s suddenly a new worst-case scenario that people can keep on running as a movie in their heads.”
“Shackleton keeps the men on routines. He has a duty roster. Everyone has a job every day. There was forced socialization, so no one was allowed to retreat to their cabins when they were on the ship after dinner, or in the case of their tents, no one was allowed to be alone in their tent after dinner. They mixed. There were games. There were presentations. There were plays.
The third thing I think that he does that’s incredibly important, is he has this great sense of empathy. So, when he sees a man’s energy dipping, he will order up hot milk for everyone. He does it for everyone so that the man who he sees flagging isn’t embarrassed, isn’t called out.
He made a point with each person on a regular basis to connect with them in a very intimate way. Depending on the interests of the individual he talked about poetry or stamp collecting, or about the seal meat that cook just made.”
Shackleton was not a Franciscan but his approach to leadership is surprisingly aligned with our Franciscan view of leadership.
- We recognize the inherent value of work and service, and the importance of a daily routine, (including prayer), to ground us. Research reinforces this approach - when a catastrophe occurs, the sooner adults and children get back to a routine of any kind, at home or at work, the faster they heal.
- We foster community and teamwork among our staff, especially in times of stress. St Francis himself is often depicted singing or playing instruments with his brothers. Today, we might also connect digitally through games, photos, texting, social media, virtual tours or on-line Masses
- Relationships are foundational to the Franciscan way of being in the world and workplace. Franciscan leaders know those they work with as individuals and are attentive to, and attend to, their wellbeing. What Sue needs might not be what Jose needs.
- Franciscan leaders are empathetic and emotionally intelligent. There is a story of St Francis that is similar to Shackleton’s ordering warm milk for the crew.
Father Murray Bodo O.F.M. related the story. “There was a time at the very beginning when Francis and his brothers lived at a place near Assisi called Rivo Torto. They fasted and did penance with all the enthusiasm and sometimes the imprudence of novices.
One night, as they all lay sleeping soundly, a loud cry broke into their dreams:
“I am dying! I am dying! Help me!” And the brothers, startled for their sleep, saw St. Francis already at the side of the terrified brother. “What is it, brother? Tell me.” “Forgive me, Father Francis; but I am dying of hunger.”
Then St. Francis immediately ordered the brothers to light a torch and go out and gather some herbs and vegetables and whatever else they could find for all of them to have a good, nourishing meal. He said this so that the poor brother would not have to be humiliated by eating alone. And so, all the brothers set themselves eagerly to the task of preparing a meal and then they all sat down with the hungry brother and ate a midnight supper.”
