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Leading on the Edge

Leading on the Edge Extraordinary Stories and Leadership Insights from The World's Most Extreme Workplace

  • Author:
  • Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
  • ISBN: 9780730305491
  • Published In: July 2013
  • Format: Paperback , 320 pages
  • Jurisdiction: International ? Disclaimer:
    Countri(es) stated herein are used as reference only
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    Lessons on authentic leadership from the 58th annual Antarctic expedition

    In Leading on the Edge, successful business speaker and consultant Rachael Robertson shares the lessons she learned as leader of a year-long expedition to the wilds of Antarctica. Leading eighteen strangers around the clock for a full year—through months of darkness and with no escape from the frigid cold, howling winds, and each other—Robertson learned powerful lessons about what real, authentic leadership is. Here, she offers a deeply honest and humorous account of what it takes to survive and lead in the harshest environment on Earth. What emerges from her graphic account is a series of powerful and practical lessons for business leaders and managers everywhere.

    • Features practical leadership lessons that are particularly helpful for any leader who must get the best out of the team they've got
    • Features solutions to many challenges common to all workplaces
    • Includes real excerpts from Robertson's personal journals through twelve months of leading in the most challenging environment in the world
    • Written by a popular speaker and business leader who has appeared at more than 350 national and international conferences and events for a wide range of industries

    Leading on the Edge explains what it's like to take charge when you've no place to hide and how truly harsh environments can serve as a leadership laboratory that results in truly effective, authentic leadership.

  • A note from the author vii

    Acknowledgements ix

    Preface xi

    Part I: How I got there 1

    1 Leadership can be learned, and taught, early 3

    2 Very few decisions in life are irreversible, so make some! 11

    3 Always look for ways to extend yourself 19

    4 Get out of your depth — it’s a great way to learn to swim 25

    5 Don’t expect leadership to be an easy ride 31

    Part II: Antarctica beckons 37

    6 Sometimes the right thing happens for the wrong reason! 39

    7 People notice when you try to be someone you’re not 47

    8 You know people by what they do, not what they say they do 55

    9 First prepare yourself, then leave your comfort zone 63

    Part III: Preparing to leave 71

    10 Seeing what’s wrong is easy — the hard part is the fix 73

    11 Understand the game, and play your hand carefully 85

    12 Ask ‘why?’, then keep asking why 95

    13 Adventure is not without risk 105

    14 Try to stay positive: even the stormiest seas eventually subside 111

    15 A handpicked support team can be essential 119

    Part IV: Summer in Antarctica 127

    16 Make the right decision the right way 129

    17 Step up onto the balcony — but you’ll need time and support 137

    18 Ambiguity and leadership go hand in hand 145

    19 Feeling stressed and overworked? It could be your boundaries 153

    20 Good leaders know when to show emotion 163

    21 Think ahead and know what you will do in an emergency 171

    22 When you’re spending all your time managing, don’t forget to lead 179

    Part V: Antarctic winter 189

    23 It’s important to know your people, not just the work they do 191

    24 As a leader you are being watched, always 201

    25 Find a reason, any reason, to celebrate 207

    26 Check in on your people: ask R U OK? 219

    27 Take care of the little things 227

    28 Judgement comes with experience 235

    29 ‘No triangles’ takes effort and persistence 241

    30 Watch out for three-quarter time — keep your energy up 249

    Part VI: The return 259

    31 Go the distance 261

    Appendix A: What it takes to be an inspirational leader 275

    Appendix B: Build teamwork with ‘no triangles’ 281

    Index 287

  • Rachael Robertson is one of the most in-demand inspirational business speakers and leadership consultants in the world. After more than 20 years' experience leading teams in complex and challenging environments, Rachael is now transforming leadership around the globe.

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