There is much to be said about what exactly it is that makes a great leader. From creatively solving any problem thrown your way, to inspiring your team to greatness, to the classic skill of being able to make the important but unpopular decisions, the skills required are varied and challenging.
But whether you’re climbing the corporate ladder or inspiring a large team on a new project, there’s always room for self-improvement. Who needs an MBA? Try one of these more unusual ways to be a better leader.
Train to be a spy
Secret Me uses UK Special Forces and Intelligence specialists to teach the concepts of spying. Who better to train executives in conflict resolution, resilience, body language and how to manage high-pressure?
Sara Fazlali co-founded the bespoke spy-training workshops to push people to their limits, unearthing their potential and teaching them something new in the process.
The workshops run over a weekend or three days and combine fun elements with personal development. Espionage trainees participate in everything from hostage takeovers, to ‘bad guy’ surveillance around a city, to poker, to mixing the perfect martini. Stressful situations such as being kidnapped, or taking a group hostage, develop skills like problem-solving, negotiation and creativity in a way likely not otherwise endured.
Much of what the course involves is surprisingly translatable to the boardroom. Poker, for example, is “about body language and learning how to read people”. A mission tracking the enemy is about teamwork, knowing when to control a situation and when to make yourself invisible.
And the pistol training leads to terrific stress control skills: “It isn’t so much about the shooting,” says Sara.
“It’s more about knowing how to relax your muscles and completely control your breathing on demand. It’s about putting people into a stressful situation and getting them to relax, breathe, stay in control, stay focused and continue assessing the environment.” And all followed by a cocktail party, James Bond-style, of course.
It’s no surprise the workshops are particularly appealing to executives. “It’s all about the psychology of it. The skills are just a delivery message, and it’s something that is sexy, interesting and unique.”
Sara points out that many of us may feel we have a strong handle on our stress levels and our ability to manage high-pressure situations, but usually that is because we are in familiar surroundings and all is running smoothly.
“If you really want to expand who you are and what you are willing to put yourself through, then experience as many different environments as you can,” she advises. “That’s where the military environments come in, because it’s not something you have the opportunity to do every day – to meet Special Forces and have them train you.”
Study Shackleton
More than a century ago, Ernest Shackleton famously endured life in the Antarctic after being forced to abandon his ship when it became trapped in pack ice. His leadership and innovative skills ensured the survival of all 27 crewmen for almost two years in the stark,
icy wilderness. Perhaps the biggest testament to his skills as a leader comes from the fact that eight of these survivors signed up to join Shackleton on his next expedition.
Shackleton’s compelling story of survival and strong leadership against the odds teaches a lot about not only life but also business – so much so that Harvard Business School Professor Nancy Koehn has taken a closer look at the explorer and uses his story in her teachings.
She created a business case called ‘Leadership in Crisis: Ernest Shackleton and the Epic Voyage of Endurance’, and also authored a book on the topic, Ernest Shackleton Exploring Leadership.
“Leaders have to be able to manage in stable, prosperous times and also in very uncertain, dangerous times. And sometimes they have to be able to lead when the stakes are much greater than they expected them to be,” she said in a Harvard Business School news article.
“One thing Shackleton did very well was to revise and reset his objectives as the context changed. As soon as that ship was frozen, he figured out that the goal of the enterprise was no longer to walk across the continent of Antarctica. The new goal was to survive.”
endurance challenge John Gans has been leading the National Outdoor Leadership School in the US for 22 years.
One thing Shackleton did very well was to revise and reset his objectives
as the context changed. – Professor Nancy Koehn, Harvard Business School
He espouses the lessons about leadership that can be learned in the unpredictable, challenging and dynamic wilderness – all of which translate to a business environment. He points to a 2008 University of Utah study that focuses on the long-term benefits of wilderness education.
It found that adventure education leads not only to outdoor and survival skills but also critical leadership skills such as strategic planning, communicating positively, and effective handling of difficult circumstances.
Pushing yourself physically, in a group and with an end goal in sight, not only improves personal endurance and fitness levels but also benefits you as a leader. Di Westaway, CEO of Wild Women on Top in Australia, inspires people to add adventure to their lives through hiking challenges.
The organisation runs Coastrek, which is a 30- or 60-kilometre group fundraising challenge. The event has a corporate option to encourage team building and involves a 12-week fitness program, culminating in the big hike.
“Coastrek is about teamwork. In nature, we are motivated to work together against the elements, and in doing so we uncover deep strengths in ourselves and others,” says Westaway. You push through physical and mental barriers to learn grit and resilience, she adds.
“I think it’s essential for business leaders to expand and improve their leadership outside the workplace. Many of the most extraordinary leaders I know gain their deep wisdom from their experiences beyond the office.”
Horse whispering
Learning to connect with horses can be beneficial to how you connect with humans too. Based in the US, Salamander Resort and Spa offers a personal discovery equestrian program, Equi-Spective, to help people learn more about their communication and leadership style through hands-on sessions with horses.
Working with horses means learning respect-based leadership. Rather than leading through intimidation and fear, the best results come from listening, being consistent, being clear. And also not allowing yourself to be pushed around.
In Brazil, Maria Dalva Oliveira Rolim facilitates horse leadership training as a partner at Global Equus. She gave a powerful talk at TEDxSaoPaulo on the leadership lessons that becoming a horse trainer taught her, and how these improved her as a businesswoman.
You must respect others before you gain their respect, says Oliveira Rolim, who is also president of Enterprise Logistics. And when working with these huge creatures, where communication is non-verbal, she adds, this lesson of mutual respect, trust and how to work together is quickly learned.
