The Story of Earnest Shackleton

Ryan McClahanan

Karyn Stafford

Larry Teske

Rebecca Valot

S W

T

Strengths

• Prior Experience

• Determined

• Charisma

• Leader

• Compassion

Opportunities

• Self Validation

• Fortune

• Historical Recognition

• Being first

• Fame from accomplishments

Threats• Weather

• Ice

• Losing crew and supplies

• Beginning of warO

Weaknesses

• Fitness

• Untrained Crew

• Funding

• Arrogance

• Lack of preparation

SWOT ANALYSIS

Leadership in Crisis: Ernest Shackleton and theEpic Voyage of the Endurance

S

Experience

Shackleton had been to Antarctica before and was familiar with the hazards

Determined

In spite of all the obstacles that were faced, he never lost hope in rescuing his men

Leadership

Knew how pair his men together to suit their personalities and work skills

Compassion

His compassion is what drove him to be determined to rescue all his men

Strengths

SWOT ANALYSIS

W

There were questions raised as to if Shackleton could endure the frigid environment

Untrained Crew

The crew was picked based on personality over skill set

Funding

Due to Norwegian success and World War I, funding was difficult to secure

Equipment

Due to lack of funding, equipment could have been better

Weaknesses

SWOT ANALYSIS

O

Self Validation

Shackleton did not meet his goal of being first to the South Pole, wanted to be first to cross it

Fortune/Fame

Despite conditions of job, hundreds still applied. Knowing that success would bring fame and wealth

Historical Recognition

The men went down in history for their bravery and heroic return

Opportunities

SWOT ANALYSIS

T

Weather

Weather was unpredictable and treacherous

Ice

The ice was further north than ever before

Loss of Crew

The conditions put the entire crew at risk of losing their lives

War

The men and ship were assets that would be needed in the war effort.

Money

Money was going to support the war which made fundraising harder.

Loss of Supplies

The Endurance was lost and many supplies went under with the ship

Threats

SWOT ANALYSIS

S OExperience

•Learned from prior expeditions

•Aware of potential hazards

•Knew that the crew would need nutriticious foods

Determination

•Unhappy with Nimrod expedition

•Desired crossing the South Pole

Leadership

•Chose optimistic people

•Paired crew together based on personalilties

•Put safety of crew before himself

Self Validation

•Crew followed Shackleton because of his experience

•Was able to better assess situations

•Created a nutritional food

Historical Recognition

•Wanted to be remembered as a success

•Wanted to trump the Norweigians success

Fame

•Managed to keep entire crew alive

•Even by new standards the war had set, his efforts were still heroic

•Many of the crew returned for next expedition

Positive factors

SWOT ANALYSIS

W TUntrained Crew• Some had no experience in trekking hazardous and treacherous conditions.•Ones character took precedence over their skill..• Many were trained scientist and photographers but not trained. sailors

Funding•Shackleton’s friends refused to

fund his mission because they did

not support it

•Shackleton had a reputation of

being physically unfit to

successfully complete the mission.

Lack of Preparation• Not enough food to last them on

their trek to safety

• Sleeping bags were soaking wet

during the day an frozen by night.

• The 3 lifeboats couldn’t withstand

the march across the rough ice

• May brought Antarctic winter with

temps at -27°C and complete

darkness

• Having no daylight limited the work

the crew could perform outdoors

• The ice crushed and sank the boat

causing them to abandon the ship

• Constant fear of the ice cracking or

being cracked by killer whales while in

lifeboats

Weather /Ice

Beginning of WarDue to preparing for war past investors were leery of funding the expedition

Losing crew and supplies•There was only enough food to last them 42 days.

Negative factors

SWOT ANALYSIS

•Prior Experience

•Determination

•Leadership

•Compassion

•Knowledge of Anarctic conditions, ice floes, and temperatures

•No sailor was left for dead

•Crew stayed loyal during the worst of times

•Made sure that all crew members were well when he returned for the final rescue

Strengths

SWOT ANALYSIS

Weaknesses

Current weaknesses

• Untrained Crew

• Funding

• Lack of preparation

Goals and project plan: weaknesses

• The goal was to hire a crew that would make the expedition successful, little thought was put into how trained those crew members would be. A more selective screening would have allowed for there to be more experienced crew members when facing hazardous conditions.

• Even though Shackleton had trouble securing funding for his expedition, he used his entrepreneur skills and came up with a creative way of raising the money. Selling shares of photos taken on the trip, and soliciting donations, led to large donations being made by some of Britain’s wealthiest individuals.

•Though Shackleton went through extensive preparation for food and supplies for his crewmembers, those items would only benefitted them while on Endurance. Once they had to abandon the ship they were not prepared to carry those supplies on their trek to a safer place.

SWOT ANALYSIS

Opportunities

Current opportunities

• Self Validation-Shackleton did not meet his goal of being first to the South Pole, wanted to be first to cross it

• Fortune/Fame-Despite conditions of job, hundreds still applied. Knowing that success would bring fame and wealth.

• Historical Recognition-The men went down in history for their bravery and heroic return

Goals and project plan: Opportunities

•The goal to cross first was a the next step in line to being the first to the South Pole. Shackleton jumped on it as soon as possible so that he could achieve this goal. His desire to be first is what drove him to be the leader he was.

•Even though the men know the risks of the expedition they didn’t seem to mind. Many still lobbyed for the job since they knew completion ment fortune and fame.

•Shackleton’s men will forever be know for their exploreation simply because they all made it back alive.

SWOT ANALYSIS

Threats

Current threats

•Weather - Weather was unpredictable and treacherous

•Ice - The ice was further north than ever before

•Loss of lives of crew

•Loss of Endurance and other valuable supplies

•World War I beginning – Support funds in short supply

Goals and project plan: threats

•Shackleton was told to delay the expidation for a year

•The Ice was further north than expected indicating that the ships would not be able to complete the journey, another indication to delay the expedition

•With World War I starting, the crew and ship were valuable assets that could have been used to support the war effort. Losing these assets could be harmful to England.

•World War I was starting and Shackleton felt guilt about not helping his country in the war. He was given permission by Churchill to continue with the expedition.

SWOT ANALYSIS

Summary

SWOT summary

• Shackleton was a good leader, he was determined to complete his goals and knew how to be compassionate and understand towards his men.

• Even though they were weak in some areas it is possible they felt that would only at to the victory. And in the end I think all that they went though enhances their story even though they did not met the goal they wanted.

• Shackleton strived to validate himself with having his name down as having done the South Pole cross first. However, once he know that was not long a opition he put his mens lives first and did everything to bring them all home safely.

• Even through all the threats they faced he stayed focused and determined to not make sure he was not seen as failure.

• Perhaps if he had adhered to the advice of the whaling boat captions then the ship and equipment would not have been lost.

SWOT ANALYSIS