In journal entry, Orde-Lees recounts an incident that provides us with an insight into Shackleton's leadership strategies.
Orde-Lees thought it was happenstance that Shackleton did not "win" one of the reindeer sleeping bags. In fact, Shackleton refused to win a reindeer sleeping bag and his senior officers followed his example.
In 2024, this incident seems very remote from our world, yet we've probably all experienced working for someone who, unlike Shackleton, put his / her needs ahead of those of the team.
Time and again, Shackleton put his team's needs and well-being ahead of his own.
Orde-Lees' Journal - October 29, 1915
We had a good & much needed rest, disturbed only by the necessity of taking one hour watches by turns throughout the night.
We turned out at 6 a.m. Yesterday lots were cast for the eighteen reindeer sleeping bags and I was lucky enough to be the recipient of the eighteenth; the 10 losers were provided with stout new Jaeger bags. Sir Ernest was not amongst the lucky winners of the fur bags.
The shortage is, of course, due to the fact that it was never expected that fur bags would be required by the ship's company and eighteen would have been ample for the shore party. I unfortunately neglected to remove some snow from the tent floorcloth before laying my bag down with the result that it got sopping wet at the foot. It was quite pleasantly warm last night with a temperature of +12.
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