Sean features on the world's foremost explorers website ExplorersWeb where he shares his insights into teamwork and success.
Read the complete article by Correne Coetzer at ExplorersWeb
Wednesday
10 Golden Rules for Polar Explorers
1. Go for both poles
We didn’t manage to even reach the South Pole the first time. But we never lowered our goal. Our final success was so much greater in the face of it.
2. Seek out the winners
We wouldn’t have made it without the aid of polar veterans, and they in turn learned from veterans before them. Every true success is a mankind joint venture.
3. Don’t cut food and fuel
In the short run, dropping food and fuel increased our speed. In the long run, it killed our expedition. Don’t undercut your survival.
4. Face the storm
Hiding out in a tent waiting for the sunny days steals crucial time. A storm always looks the worst from inside the tent. Face the storm.
5. Get out each morningGet out there, every single day. There are so many reasons not to: Repairs badly needed, fog and whiteout. The winner moves when the others rest.
6. Keep moving
In temperatures of -50C, we wore only thin layers of clothing. In this situation, to stop was to die. When times are rough and you are the underdog, keep running.
7. Don’t thinkSkiing thin ice commands swift and determined steps. Too much doubt in times of pressure kills the power of action. Don’t think, just go.
8. Be brutalIf you want to reach the impossible then you must continue where others stop. Tear down walls with your bare hands, crawl on your knees. But never stop.
9. Say only positive things to each other
Their single, most important advice. Out of their advice, one turned the most important to us: “Say only positive things to each other.
10. You don’t have to believe to winFaced with the facts, we could not believe in our success. Yet it arrived. You don’t have to believe in success. Just do the right things, and go.
"Greater than the victory, the ice taught us lessons to carry with us into our life."
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Tuesday
Sharing Insights : Ernest Shackleton
1. He recognised the importance of team moral.
He understood his crew, he knew what motivated them and when he could, he gave it to them. He gave them the best equipment and resources he could afford. He encouraged them, held them accountable and set realistic objectives.
2. He was accessible to his crew.
He made time to be available and spent lots of time with his crew. He connected with, spoke and respected the individual differences of his crew.
3. He had fun.
No matter what challenges he faced, he always encouraged social activities when the work was done. He created an environment in which his crew felt good in spite of their circumstances.
4. He remained optimistic.
He maintained an absolute faith that he would prevail while recognising the reality of the situation, remaining optimistic that they would find a way to overcome it.
5. He kept troublemakers close.
He kept troublemakers close so that he knew what they were doing, kept them from contaminating the rest of his crew and had some influence on their actions.
He understood his crew, he knew what motivated them and when he could, he gave it to them. He gave them the best equipment and resources he could afford. He encouraged them, held them accountable and set realistic objectives.
2. He was accessible to his crew.
He made time to be available and spent lots of time with his crew. He connected with, spoke and respected the individual differences of his crew.
3. He had fun.
No matter what challenges he faced, he always encouraged social activities when the work was done. He created an environment in which his crew felt good in spite of their circumstances.
4. He remained optimistic.
He maintained an absolute faith that he would prevail while recognising the reality of the situation, remaining optimistic that they would find a way to overcome it.
5. He kept troublemakers close.
He kept troublemakers close so that he knew what they were doing, kept them from contaminating the rest of his crew and had some influence on their actions.
Monday
Tent Time : How Can We Improve?
During my adventures, team cohesion is achieved at the end of each day through 'tent-time'. Once we are comfortable in our tent, I encourage my teams to openly share their thoughts and views on the day's progress, highlight any positive achievements and review our future milestones.
It is also an opportunity for anyone to raise any issues of concern or grievances! It is critical to deal with any grievances head on, seek resolution and then move on. Tent-time also provided some time to share experiences, learn a useful tip someone had uncovered during the day and to laugh at the day's tribulations.
Ultimately tent-time is about asking the question 'how can we improve?' - the single most important question any team can ask themselves.
How often do you set aside some 'tent-time' to ask yourself or your team how can we improve?
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Tuesday
Hidden Dangers in Antarctica
One of the greatest dangers encountered in Antarctica are the crevasse fields. A crevasse is a crack in an ice sheet – in Antarctica the ice sheet, which covers the continent, is up to 4 miles thick – they often have vertical or near-vertical walls and are often covered, but not necessarily filled, by a snow bridge made of the previous year's snow. These cracks often appear in large numbers over several miles long. Falling into a hidden crevasse covered by a weak snow bridge is a real risk.
All my teams complete training in crevasse rescue techniques should someone fall into a crevasse, but the real skill is the ability to cross a snow bridge safely. This takes practice and takes time to build confidence in the individuals, and in me to allow them to lead the team across snowbridges.
To lead a team across every crevasse snow bridge would be mentally and physically demanding for me, and unsustainable on a long polar journey. Therefore, I always encourage team members to take the lead in crossing snow bridges to build upon their experiences and develop self-confidence and mutual trust within the team. Initially under my close supervision, as their confidence builds I can empower them to keep us moving safely forwards towards our goal and focus my efforts on other areas.
Problems can occur with empowerment if you become insular and isolated in your decision-making and control of information. You have to learn to release control, make fewer checks and allow the team freedom to take action.
If you are afraid of the loss of control, or not naturally inclined to take risks, spend more time on planning to minimise the risks involved. The rationale that it is quicker and easier to do it yourself may produce immediate results, but for long-term high-performance, you must trust the team to do a good job. This requires investing time and effort to explain what you want achieved and provide guidance when needed.
Explore more in Leading High Performance Teams
All my teams complete training in crevasse rescue techniques should someone fall into a crevasse, but the real skill is the ability to cross a snow bridge safely. This takes practice and takes time to build confidence in the individuals, and in me to allow them to lead the team across snowbridges.
To lead a team across every crevasse snow bridge would be mentally and physically demanding for me, and unsustainable on a long polar journey. Therefore, I always encourage team members to take the lead in crossing snow bridges to build upon their experiences and develop self-confidence and mutual trust within the team. Initially under my close supervision, as their confidence builds I can empower them to keep us moving safely forwards towards our goal and focus my efforts on other areas.
Problems can occur with empowerment if you become insular and isolated in your decision-making and control of information. You have to learn to release control, make fewer checks and allow the team freedom to take action.
If you are afraid of the loss of control, or not naturally inclined to take risks, spend more time on planning to minimise the risks involved. The rationale that it is quicker and easier to do it yourself may produce immediate results, but for long-term high-performance, you must trust the team to do a good job. This requires investing time and effort to explain what you want achieved and provide guidance when needed.
Explore more in Leading High Performance Teams
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