My summit is just out of reach….
A gradual grinding down of my physical endurance finally took its toll today, and it is with sadness that I report it is journey’s end – so close to my goal
Two stories caught my eye in the paper this week, both on the same day to be exact (Tue 26th January), both on the subject of risk-taking and leadership.
Henry Worsley, Polar Explorer
Three months previously (mid Nov-15), Henry Worsley (aged 55) set off solo and unaided to retrace the same Antarctic crossing which Ernest Shackleton was forced to abandon in 1916.
His journey was beset by bad luck and appalling weather, and so, after 71 days of walking, he was forced to abandon just 30 miles from the finish.
He was airlifted to hospital in Chile but died 2 days later from complete organ failure.
Dylan Hartley, newly-appointed England Rugby Captain
It is fair to say that Dylan Hartley, England hooker, has a fairly chequered disciplinary past, having been banned for a total of 54 weeks since April 2007.
However, having been club captain at Northampton for the past six years, Hartley has demonstrated that he has the ability to command respect, and to influence those around him.
The biggest risk was not to take a risk Eddie Jones, England Rugby Head Coach
Still, the media spotlight will be unrelenting on Hartley and any disciplinary slip-up whilst England captain (remember, the same team which became to be the 1st ever to be knocked out of its own Rugby World Cup in the knock-out stages) will be quickly seized upon by all and sundry.
A head coach’s job is to impose his personality on the team, but not annual the personality of individuals Marcello Lippi, Italian football coach
The art of Leadership and Risk-Taking
So, two very different men, but both leaders in their own right and both operating under difficult circumstances.
It remains to be seen whether Hartley can manufacture a fraction of Worsley’s stoicism and grace under pressure – if he can, then English rugby is heading for a far better place.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!