For an exemplary leader, what is the greatest compliment you could ever receive? Sir Ernest Shackleton was a British explorer who, after failing to be the first to reach the South Pole, wanted to be the first to make a trans-Antarctic expedition. On 27 October 1915 Shackleton's boat, the Endurance, was crushed by the pressure of melting Antarctic ice; leaving Shackleton and his crew stranded in the Antarctic. On August 30, 1916, after a treacherous year and a half of living in the Antarctic and surrounding islands, Shackleton and his crew were rescued after an unimaginable story of survival. The leadership qualities demonstrated by Shackleton that led to his and his crew's survival were: having certain obsessions, not being selfish, and always thinking about the future consequences of his actions. An altruistic person is someone who emphasizes the emotions and/or others of others. or well-being before them. For Shackleton, the quality of being selfless was key to the survival of the Endurance crew because it made all the crew feel equal and the crew could trust Shackleton with their lives. An example of Shackleton being an altruistic 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 getting rid of the unnecessary items first, Shackleton showed the crew, even though Shackleton was the leader, that they are all the same. And by acting as an equal, Shackleton prevented a major community case and a lethal split of two groups (educated vs. workers). Shackleton indicated that he cared about his men by hiding his fears to keep the spirit positive and always asking if his men were okay. Shackleton also asked Green - the cook - to add the seal... in the center of the paper... ok, taking into account the value each man had for his mission, and the kind of group dynamics he would or would not have he wished he had to face. Deliberating and anticipating numerous contingencies can seem like a chore, unless these plans help a crew live to complain about it. It's easy to be the one in charge; being a leader is the hardest skill to master. Shackleton's actions of selflessness, obsessiveness, and planning skills demonstrate that he belonged to a rare class of "leaders". Leadership ideals were an area that Shackleton had mastered; realizing his ambitions was an area that Shackleton was never able to master. While achieving your ambitions can be an exciting story, sometimes failures are a far greater story. "We knew you would come back" - he quoted an unidentified sailor - was the greatest compliment ever paid to Sir Ernest Shackleton, an exemplary leader.