This has to be one of the most interesting and entertaining books I’ve ever read.

When we talk about leadership it’s usually about people in formal leadership roles: their personal qualities, how they behave and speak, and how they treat their group of ‘followers’ (staff or others).  We seldom talk about strong leaders from the ranks.  However, Tom Crean, an Irish Antarctic explorer, is one of these ‘unsung heroes’.

Tom Crean was a crewman in three Antarctic explorations, including Scott’s ill-fated exploration to the South Pole and Shackleton’s epic survival adventure when his ship was caught in and subsequently crushed by the ice.

The book is peppered with many stories in which Crean is the one that steps up to do the hardest and most challenging tasks.  This includes jumping from ice floe to ice floe to reach more stable ice, a lone trek across 35 miles of ice without food and at the end of a 1500 mile round trip in order to find help for others, and being part of Shackleton’s team of three who travel to South Georgia to seek help.  There are numerous other tales of perilous adventures in the company of one or two others, where Crean’s calm demeanour and focus help to settle the concerns of others.

His physical size and strength would have contributed to his ability to take the lead and step up to many of the arduous activities before him.  In addition, Crean’s approach to tasks would have been influenced by his training as a naval seaman, the rigid hierarchical structure (both within the navy and in society at the time) and the requirement to know his place and follow orders.  However, he gained the respect of all – senior officers and crewmen alike – by his even-tempered nature, his ability to be forthright yet diplomatic in communications, his ability to connect and work with everyone and his enduring humility.  These characteristics were evident even when dozens of them were living in close confined quarters in less than ideal circumstances where their survival was constantly threatened by the extreme cold and little food.

The book is written with Tom Crean as the centre actor, rather than the leaders (either Scott or Shackleton).  It provides a completely different picture to what might be seen through journals kept by expedition leaders, although the book is mostly written using second person accounts as Tom Crean himself did not keep a journal and wrote few letters.  It’s an amazing true story of a courageous, unflappable and capable man as well as a fascinating account of adventure, risk, good luck, and formidable spirit and character.

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