Chapter
Jun 20, 2012

Leading and Learning from Failures the Shackleton Way: Education and Practice

Publication: Forensic Engineering (2007)

Abstract

Ernest Shackleton, an early 20th century Antarctic explorer, was best known for his leadership skills in the face of extreme hardship. After his ship, Endurance, was trapped in the icy waters of the Weddell Sea, he kept his entire crew alive for nearly 2 years. Many of his leadership principles can be applied to project management in our present time. This paper will explore the leadership traits that Shackleton embraced and will present a case study of junior level civil engineering students' responses to a video of the Shackleton saga. The paper will contrast Shackleton's leadership with that of another explorer of his time, Vilhjalmur Stefansson. It will also look historically back to Old Testament biblical times and compare both Shackleton and Stefansson to the leadership characteristics of both Moses and King David. Finally, two present day engineering case studies will be reviewed which show the complexity and results of being a leader, specifically a project manager, for taking responsibility and doing the right thing.

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Go to Forensic Engineering (2007)
Forensic Engineering (2007)
Pages: 1 - 13

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Published online: Jun 20, 2012

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Kevin L. Rens [email protected]
Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado 80217-3364. E-mail: [email protected]
Amy J. Rens [email protected]
Senior Engineer, Transportation Engineering Services, Department of Public Works, City and County of Denver, Denver, Colorado 80202. E-mail: [email protected]

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ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

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