Leading in Extreme Conditions — Respect Trumps Harmony With Rachael Robertson

My guest, Rachael Robertson, led a team of 18 people through a 12-month research expedition in Antarctica. She was chosen to lead this expedition after a boot camp interview process measured her ability to lead with empathy.

 

I’m excited to talk to her about what it means to lead in extreme conditions, what we can learn from her experience as we progressively open up post-pandemic, and how we can all better our leadership practices in the face of a new world.

 

From the challenges of confinement in months of full darkness and full daylight, we talk about the importance of routine in keeping people’s mental health optimal, the necessity for facts over emotions, and how to build a team from strangers with diverse backgrounds in one of the toughest environments on the planet. Tune in for an in-depth discussion on what it means to lead in extreme environments.

Tips For Leading in Tough Environments

 

Leading through a crisis — Rachael’s team’s plane crashed during her time in Antarctica — Be poised and calm, keep your head up and your shoulders down, and be careful with your choice of words (concern and worry are not the same).

 

Respect trumps harmony — Rachael explains how the “Bacon Wars” boiled down to respect. She also touches on the importance of challenging the idea, not the person, and only with facts.

 

No triangles — when you’re under stress and pressure, the last thing you need is someone complaining about you behind your back and absolute words are a no-no (everyone, no one always).

 

Honesty resonates with people — It is powerful for a leader to admit that they don’t know something with certainty, be open to admitting when you don’t know something and be quick with the information when you have it; it will build trust.

 

Keeping your head while on duty for 12 months, 24 hours a day — Journal, it is very cathartic and being a leader can be lonely; reach out to peers so you have someone to talk to.

About Karen Tiber Leland

 

Karen Tiber Leland is the founder of Sterling Marketing Group, a branding, marketing, and color strategy and implementation firm helping CEOs, executives, and entrepreneurs develop stronger personal, business, and team brands. Her clients include Cisco, American Express, Marriott Hotels, Apple Computer, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

 

She is also the best-selling author of nine traditionally-published business books that have sold over 400,000 copies and been translated into 10 languages. Her most recent book is The Brand Mapping Strategy: Design, Build, and Accelerate Your Brand. She regularly writes for Inc.com and Entrepreneur.com and has had articles published in Self, The Los Angeles Times, American Way, The Boston Globe, and many others.

 

Karen has spoken for Harvard, The AMA, Direct Marketing Association, and Stanford, among others. She has been interviewed on The Today Show, CNN, CNBC, and Oprah.

 

Get in touch with Karen on Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

 

About Our Guest

 

After 15 years of leading diverse and remote teams and business units, I took the jump and lead the 58th annual expedition to the edge of the world: Antarctica. It was a tough, grueling and exhausting year, but ultimately extremely rewarding and fruitful.

 

The intensity of this leadership role, where the leader is on-duty all day, every day, for 12 months with no respite, gave me the opportunity to road-test my leadership ideas the hard way — without the luxury of peers, a desk, or high-speed broadband! It was a
“leadership laboratory” in the most extreme, hostile environment on Earth.

 

You can learn more about Rachael Robertson on Twitter|LinkedIn|Instagram|Facebook|Website

 

Book: Respect Trumps Harmony: Why being liked is overrated and constructive conflict gets results, by Rachael Robertson

 

Mentioned

Myers Briggs

Australian Antarctic Division

YPO

Resources

 

Are you looking to firmly establish your CEO or executive brand, expand your influence, or become more of a thought leader in your field? Consider my personal brand strategy mapping process and book a 20-minute complimentary phone consultation.

For more information on my service offer, contact me directly at [email protected] or visit Sterling Marketing Group.