Today and 107 Years Ago: The Keystones of Great Leadership

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about great leadership and what it means to me. This question feels particularly relevant today as we grapple with how to marry the benefits of being together with the new flexibility the past two years have taught us.

While much has yet to be figured out, I know one thing: leadership isn’t a passive process as we are defining the new normal.

While watching – like so many of us -- with great trepidation the unfolding of disturbing global events and the great courage on display, I happened to catch a news segment on Ernest Shackleton’s ship The Endurance, which was recently discovered 107 years after it sank during an ill-fated Antarctic voyage. This century-old discovery is an amazing tale in and of itself, but what really intrigued me was the story of how Shackleton led 27 men back to safety after losing their vessel and enduring months of grueling conditions that included heavy seas, debilitating cold and near-starvation.

I found myself looking for the lessons Shackleton could teach me about great leadership. Not surprisingly, CBRE awards the Endurance of Spirit Award, a coveted recognition based on Shackleton’s greatest strengths.

Here are a few characteristics that stand out to me, and that I believe are going to be critical in the months and years ahead as we lead our teams in the post-pandemic era.

Perseverance – I have learned time and time again that most significant challenges aren’t easily or quickly resolved.  In the case of Shackleton, his perseverance enabled his crew to stay focused on the goal even as they faced unimaginable hardships.  Great leaders don’t give up.  Instead, they stay the course, and conquer one obstacle at a time until success is achieved.

Optimism – As a leader, you have to believe in your vision in order to inspire the optimism needed  to lead your team through adversity.  In Shackleton’s case, his ability to successfully lead his crew through months of debilitating conditions is a powerful example of how to instill a sense of hope and an unrelenting belief that you can achieve the goal, especially when times are tough.

Humility – I have always been a strong believer that those who lead with humility create a sense of shared purpose. They lead by example and stay in the fight with their teams. Shackleton was with his crew every step of the way, leading from a place of understanding and empathy.

Authenticity – Probably more so than ever, this is a key attribute in my mind. Employees today want authentic leadership. Authentic leaders are consistent. They are not afraid of making hard decisions, and they back those decisions up with sound reasoning. When we lead from a place of authenticity, we can break down barriers, dismantle skepticism, and bring people together around shared goals.

On this last attribute, I can speak from my own experience being part of the leadership team that steered our company through our Workplace360 initiative nine years ago – a revolutionary way of working at the time and one of the cornerstones in our ongoing evolution.

As I pen these last sentences, I feel hopeful. Last month, we organized kick-off events at several of our offices. We had a great turnout – sharing stories, food and our experiences during the past two years. I am a true believer in the positive impacts that being together has on our psyche, our sense of community and wellbeing and our quality of work.

The future of work will call for exceptional leadership. Leadership needs to permeate an organization, meaning each of us need to be active contributors as we lead teams, partnerships, clients. Leadership isn’t just one person’s job. It is all of our responsibility.

I would love to hear your take on what it takes to be a great leader today.