For an exemplary leader, what is one of the greatest compliments you can receive? Sir Ernest Shackleton was a British explorer who, after failing to reach the South Pole, wanted to be the first to complete a trans-Antarctic expedition. On October 27, 1915, Shackleton's ship, the Endurance, was crushed by the pressure of melting Antarctic ice; leaving Shackleton and his crew stranded in Antarctica. On August 30, 1916, after a year and a half of perilous life in Antarctica and the surrounding islands, Shackleton and his crew were rescued after an unimaginable tale of survival. The leadership qualities that Shackleton demonstrated that allowed himself and his crew to survive were having certain obsessions, not being selfish, and always thinking about the future consequences of his actions. An altruistic person is someone who puts other emotions and/or well-being ahead of their own. For Shackleton, the quality of selflessness was key to the survival of the Endurance crew because it allowed all crew members to feel equal and able to trust Shackleton with their lives. An example of how Shackleton was a selfless person was the fact that he gave up personal items such as his gold lighter and his bible (given to him by the Queen). By being the first to get rid of unnecessary items, Shackleton showed the crew – even though Shackleton was the boss – that they were all equal. And by acting as an equal, Shackleton avoided a serious case of community and a deadly division of two groups (the educated versus the workers). Shackleton indicated that he cared about his men by hiding his fears to keep morale positive and always asking if his men were okay. Shackleton also asked Green – the cook – to add a seal...... middle of paper...... ok taking into account how valuable each man was to his mission and what kind of dynamics group that he would do or not. you have to deal with it. Deliberating and producing many contingencies may seem like a nuisance, unless those plans help a crew live to complain about them. It's easy to be the one in charge; being a leader is the hardest skill to master. Shackleton's actions of selflessness, obsession, and planning ability demonstrate that he belonged to a rare class of "leaders." Leadership ideals were something Shackleton mastered; Realizing his ambitions was something Shackleton was never able to master. Although achieving one's ambitions can be an exciting story, sometimes failures are a much greater story. “We knew you would come back” – said an unidentified sailor – was the greatest compliment ever paid to Sir Ernest Shackleton, an exemplary leader..