Leading at The Edge: Chapters 4 and 5

Chapter four was all about taking care of yourself as a leader. I think it is important for leaders to know their limits and not be ashamed to ask for help when they need it. Shackleton confided in Wild and Worsley when there was a problem and this was his way of recovering from stress. Although Shackleton is not the best example, he did share his feelings with those closest to him and this probably helped maintain his mental health. Physically, he was not very good at keeping healthy so we should learn from that and try to stop before we tire ourselves out completely. We need to know our physical conditions and accept them as they are so that we may work efficiently without over-working. This is something Japan needs to work on. As Ken mentioned in class, the concept of 'karoshi' shows how Japanese sometimes work too much resulting in the negligence of one's own health. Whether you are a leader or not, it is important to take care of yourself and always remember to think about what your priorities are.

The following chapter discussed the issue of team work. What I thought was interesting was the idea of a shared identity as a method of encouraging team work. It is true that a shared identity will give a sense of belonging to the team members and this could promote attachment and a feeling of obligation to the team. However, having a shared identity can also be dangerous if it is taken too far. It could lead to the loss of individual personality as members increasingly feel the need to fit in with the group. So it is important that this identity is not forced but merely presented for everyone to share because at the end of the day, it is the choices of individuals that build good team work.

I try to cooperate as best as I can when I am in a group, and although I am not the leader type figure, supporting the leader and the group as a whole is something that everyone can do. It is not just the responsibility of the leader to encourage team work, the members have to act as well. In order to lessen the burden of the leader so as to sustain his or her stamina and work together as a group, everyone needs to be aware of the role they have as part of the team and be considerate of others. That said, sometimes it is more important to put yourself first so always know your limits. Of course, thinking about others is crucial when working in a group but if that means killing yourself, maybe it is time you took some rest.