LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM A SINKING SHIP

Amarendra Pattnaik Assistant Professor-II (Management), School of Law Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology Bhubaneswar [email protected]

Binita Behera Asst Professor-I (Sociology), School of Law Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology Bhubaneswar [email protected]

DoI: 10.23862/kiit-parikalpana/2021/v17/i1/209017

ABSTRACT

Titanic. Just a single word is enough to ignite myriad emotions. Many ships have sunk and have been forgotten in the annals of history. But is different. It is just not a story about a sinking ship. It is a story about sinking humans. That a ship as big as Titanic could sink was beyond anyone’s imagination. But it did . Facts and folklore abound as to why it sank and what could have prevented it. Films have been made. Stories have been written , each capturing a part of the whole. So many wrong things happened in the darkness of one night. Precious lives were lost. The story is no different when a corporation sinks. It is just not about investors losing money. It is also about people losing jobs and their families pushed to penury . Like the captain of a ship , the CEO steers a corporation towards its goals. Profit is surely an important goal. But the welfare of employees is paramount. In this review article , the author draws leadership lessons from the Titanic story.

Keywords: Leadership, Crisis Management , Risk Management , Communication , Titanic.

Introduction Titanic disaster has inspired many and Leonardo DiCaprio. This film movies1-3, books4-12, memoirs and captures many human emotions and articles. Among all movies that were validates the fact that human beings made on the disaster, “Titanic” is are not above fate. Bad omen can considered to be iconic. Produced strike anyone anytime. We must all in 1997, it starred Kate Winslet be prepared for all kinds of twists and turns of life. No one has ever imagined

45 Parikalpana - KIIT Journal of Management - Vol. 17(I), June-2021 that the beautiful maiden journey of the best of everything that a traveller Titanic will end in such a helpless way. may wish for. Cunard was the leader in shipping business and White Star On 10th April,1912, 2,224 passengers Line was in competition with it for from Southampton(UK) boarded primacy. So both the players were RMS Titanic. Her destination was trying to outsmart the other in ship New York City, USA. It was the largest design and manufacturing. In addition ship on voyage at that point. After five to that there was competition on the days of voyage, it sank in the North service front as well. Premium class Atlantic Ocean on 15th April at about customers were being pampered. On 2:30AM. The reason of the disaster the other hand, some ships didn’t mind was the collision with an iceberg 400 compromising the quality of service miles off the coast of Newfoundland. to the lower class customers. In fact The last port where it halted was Cobh many times, even the basic essentials (Queenstown) and that was on 11th were not provided to the passengers April. who travelled the lower class. Twentieth century was known for technological progress - Elevators, Titanic had been designed to be the airplanes, automobiles and wireless best in style, comfort and luxury. Many radio. Titanic disaster put a break on of the passengers in RMS Titanic in that path of human progress and made that voyage were rich and famous. people introspect if technology is Many of the wealthy passengers always for human good. were industrialists, high-ranking government officials, businessmen, To find out the reasons of the disaster dignitaries and well known celebrities and to take preventive steps in future, in different fields. Among all, the most there were public inquiries in Britain prominent was the managing director and the US13-15.. These inquiries led of shipping company to major improvements in maritime J. Bruce Ismay. RMS Titanic belonged safety by adoption of new laws, to this company. Mr. Ismay was being processes and guidelines. The most accompanied by , the remarkable step was the establishment ship’s builder from Harland and Wolff. of the International Convention for the The other important person was John Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), which Jacob Astor IV, heir to the Astor family still governs maritime safety today. fortune. He was the richest person on board. A year before, he had made It was in the 1st half of the twentieth quite a ripple in the media and gossip century when competition among the columns for marrying Madeleine shippers became too intense and each Talmadge Force, a young 18-year-old company tried to bring better ship woman. She was twenty nine years to the sea. Titanic was one such ship junior to him which was rare age born out of competition. It symbolized gap for a matrimonial match. This

46 Leadership lessons from a sinking ship marriage had taken place after John wireless radio operators continued Jacob divorced his first wife. sending their distress signals until the very end. Women refused to leave the It is relevant to mention here that, boat leaving behind their husband and there were nearly thousand emigrants children. Some even did go to lifeboat from Britain, Ireland and Scandinavia leaving their pet dog. on board. They were all travelling to It is interesting to note that the North America for the prospect of a musicians played music till the new life. Titanic had three classes of vessel finally sank. Initially they passengers - First Class, Second Class were playing music at the first class and Third Class. In the third class for lounge but later they shifted to the over 700 passengers, there were just deck. While the passengers were two toilets. waiting for their turn to get into the life boats, the musicians displayed One of the contributing factors of the enormous poise and kept entertaining disaster was the missing binoculars. the passengers. It is not known if this Some sources mention that those episode mentioned in many sources is a fact or not. But if it indeed true, instruments were locked inside a it is humbling. Notwithstanding the cabinet by one ship officer who forgot crisis, the musicians did their job till to hand over the key to the person on the last. That is something very very duty next. The ship’s lookouts therefore exceptional devotion to the call of had to rely on their eyesight alone. duty.

A ship is as good as its boats. The ship Some accounts mention that the White was equipped to hold 64 boats, but Star managing director Mr. Ismay carried just 20. Though this number initially helped load some of the life was enough to comply legality, those boats with the women and children. But were grossly inadequate for such later he stepped onto a collapsible as it emergency. Twenty lifeboats could was being lowered for taking the next carry some 1200 passengers, which batch of passengers. As per various was just half of the actual passenger sources, no women or children were load that day. in the vicinity when he abandoned ship. But history didn’t consider his Titanic remained afloat for nearly act kindly. The world expected him three hours surpassing Captain to remain in the rescue mission till Edward Smith’s hope. This long the last passenger was offloaded. hours was enough for rescue had He was criticized widely because he opted to escape the disaster leaving some nearby ship reached on time. many others to perish. On the other Those hours witnessed acts of naked hand Astor was more responsible and cowardice and extraordinary bravery. dignified. He displayed maturity in The captain stayed at the bridge to give the face of such a crisis. He helped his instructions for rescue. The Marconi wife Madeleine into a lifeboat. Later,

47 Parikalpana - KIIT Journal of Management - Vol. 17(I), June-2021 he pleaded to accompany her with and Californian) which were nearby the reason that she is pregnant and and responded differently to the need his support. But his plea was not SOS signals from Titanic. The paper accepted. He could not join his wife in concludes as to how some of the the boat. He kissed his wife goodbye leadership qualities are universal and and stayed back on the ship. should be inculcated by good leaders. In his writings, John Maxtone- Three Captains Graham, a very famous ship historian has compared the sinking of the In the story there is description Titanicto the Challenger space shuttle of three ships besides Titanic - disaster in 1986. In the case of the space Carpathia, Olympic and Californian. shuttle, the world realized the limits of The communication between the technology. Challenger, the greatest Titanic and others are worth knowing and most sophisticated invention to understand the importance of ever created then, had crashed and information. Caparthia arrived at the was lost in space along with the crew site one hour after the mishap and members. That was unbelievable and Californian which was nearby reached never crossed the mind of neither the there after three hours. The way the common men nor the scientists. Both Captains of each of these vessels the tragedies were similar in many responded to distress call gives an ways and triggered a suddenrupture in idea about their leadership quality. confidence. These accidents proved to Some sources said that Olympic was the humanity that we remain subject an unauthorized vessel busy in fishing to human failures and errors, in spite in the sea and did not come for rescue of our strong belief in technological as that would have exposed its legal infallibility. shortcomings. Captain Edward Smith of The Titanic Methodology Edward John Smith was an English Content analysis method of qualitative naval officer who served as data analysis has been made in this commanding officer of numerous paper. The authors have mined White Star Line vessels17-20. While historical information related to the we cannot know for sure how he Titanic available in old newspapers, spent his final moments, it is known books, biographies, interviews with that Captain Edward Smith perished survivors, court proceedings etc to in the North Atlantic along with 1517 find out the extent to which leadership others on April 15, 1912. His body qualities of the Captain contributed to was never recovered. There is no the crisis. List of sources have been concrete evidence whether Captain listed at the reference. It also looks Edward Smith died in the disaster or into the leadership quality of the survived. But during trial, witnesses Captains of two other ships (Carpathia described his valour even in the face

48 Leadership lessons from a sinking ship of imminent danger. He ordered his panic situation, evacuation effort was people to immediately lower the life largely tentative and disordered. The boats. He ordered his men in charge lowering of the first lifeboat was made of wireless communication to send when there was chaos all around. CQD and SOS messages to other Lifeboats were designed to hold 65 ships nearby. He asked his staff to people but the first boat left with gun shoot and flash lamps to bring only 28 aboard. It was not known if attention of other ships. He displayed they played it safe or otherwise as to manly bearing to remain in charge till why they carried such a low load. If the end. He showed his sensitivity and it is Sunday morning. lifeboat drill is concern for the safety of women and a must, but that didn’t happen on that little children by ordering them to be fateful day21. The captain cancelled the first to be helped into the life boats. the drill without any reason. This But he was hugely criticized for his led to haphazard lowering of life indifference to the danger of iceberg which culminated in that unnecessary boats. There is one allegation that tragedy. He should have been careful the Captain was influenced by Joseph about such a danger in the sea to Bruce Ismay’s pressure to reach at the which he is not stranger. Even when destination early to showcase the he got the information about the marvel at the maiden trip. But there is iceberg from a nearby ship, he didn’t no evidence to prove that the Captain stop or slow down and maintained did attempt to bring the Titanic ahead the high speed. When Titanic hit the of schedule at the destination. This berg, the impact woke him up and he is a historical controversy. But there rushed to the bridge only to find out are many reports that supported that that his ship had been badly damaged he did not slow down the speed even and that she would sink. He was also when he got reports of the ice burg aware that 20 lifeboats, with a total from nearby ship. capacity of 1,178, was not adequate for all the 2,200 passengers and crew members aboard in the ship that time. Capt. Arthur Henry Rostron of the But he can’t be faulted on this account Carpathia as that number of boats fulfilled the legal requirement. The number When the news of Titanic reached of lifeboats available in the Titanic Rostron22it was late night and he was exceeded the stipulation of British asleep in his cabin. He sprang up from Board of Trade. However that number his slumber and acted fast. He ordered was grossly inadequate for any kind the ship to change course at once and of crisis situation. The ship hit the sped towards the Titanic’s reported iceberg and was massively damaged. position. Carpathia was 60 nautical The evacuation began after an hour miles away from Titanic when the or so of the accident.. Due to lack news came. It took the ship three and of drill that day and also an unusual a half hours to reach Titanic’s position.

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In spite of late arrival, Carpathia could resulted in some rescue of the ill fated rescue 710 passengers and crew and Titanic.Had the ship been nearby, took them back to New York. the captain would have surely saved many more lives than it did that night. Rostron’s quick thinking and prompt It was for this valor and responsible action paid that night. His proactive behaviour that earned Rostron all preparation en-route before it actually respect in the eyes of the survivors arrived at the spot helped rescue so and others. He is worthy of all praise that showered on him from across the many. He ran his ship at a high speed globe. Leadership qualities are seen in to reach Titanic as soon as possible. a crisis and Captain Rostron showed that enough in the rescue mission. As water rushed into the ill fated Titanic and and was filling it fast, its Capt. Stanley LordCalifornian crew shoot distress flares and blasted out SOS messages on the ship’s , the captain of wireless. The message was received Californian, was conservative and by Carpathia whichwas cruising at careful. He took a more cautious more than fifty miles to the south- decision about movement of the east direction. Anticipating the worst ship. He anticipated problem with the crisis, it raced to the rescue spot cluster of icebergs and had ordered with a rescue mission. It was not an the halting of his Boston-bound ship. That night he sighted ice field in the easy cruise at all. The ship was at proximity and was wise enough not to a distance, yet the captain took the risk a voyage. He was also proactive challenge to cut through the ice and in communicating the hurdle to other reach the Titanic. Rostron had ordered ships in the sea. He had duly instructed all non-essential power on the ship to his wireless operators to alert other be shut down to conserve power for ships in the area to the impending the distressed survivors. He drove dangers of icebergs and they had the ship at its peak so as to reach the complied with his instructions. spot early. The captain also instructed Unfortunately wireless operators of his crew to prepare and provision hot Titanic didn’t give enough importance food, blankets, medical care and other to the message from Californian essentials for the survivors. One of the and continued the voyage as usual. authors of Titanic disaster Lindsay That was a big blunder and surely Sutton said: “Rostron and his crew contributed to the disaster in the sea. But there was a big lapse from Capt. were magnificent. They couldn’t have Stanley as well. Late in that night done more”. Rostron demonstrated the staffs on duty of Californian extreme sense of humanity and spotted the flares from the Titanic and leadership quality in the situation. reported that to Captain Lord twice He was quick to think and act which for his direction. But he was half

50 Leadership lessons from a sinking ship asleep and opined that the flares were November 1920, Stanley Lord, ex- probably “company rockets”, meaning Captain of the notorious Californian, signals between ships from the same declared his intention to renounce group company. He dismissed the his British citizenship and declare his distress signals and gave no advice for allegiance to the United States.16 action. The wireless office of the ship was shut down for the night as usual. Leadership Lessons: It couldn’t receive the SOS messages 1. A leader must be open to all kinds blasted through out the night by of information, whether good or bad. Titanic. When the office re-opened in Had Captain Smith been sensitive to the morning those signals were picked the initial warnings from the wireless up by team about the iceberg, the disaster the radio and captain got to know could have been averted. He could about the disaster. The Captain of have advised the crew to stop the Californian acted immediately but voyage like the Californian. by the time it reached the scene, the situation was beyond redemption. The 2. Safety First should be the guiding Titanic had already sunk. Dead bodies principle of all leaders. Awareness were floating every where. It was a about the SOPs and mock practice precarious scene and almost no one helps. In Titanic, Life Boat drill in the was left for rescue morning could have saved few more lives. There was delay in lowering Various judgement indicted Captain of the boats and many boats ferried Lord who failed to respond to them people much less than their capacity. in accordance with the diktats of humanity, international usage, and 3. Poise under pressure is an essential the requirements of law. Californian quality of a good leader. Captain vessel was nearest to the Titanic and Smith showed exceptional leadership ignored the distress call. No one can during the crisis situation to ensure absolve Lord from blame by any logic the best possible salvage. He directed but perhaps circumstances conspired and oversaw the despatch of women against him. He was unwise and and children in the life boats. In whimsical that night. His retiring for such a situation, there would have the night without taking little more been stampede for survival without a interest in finding out the reasons of leader. Men stayed back honoring the gunshot took away all opportunity to norm “”. act when the disaster was unfolding nearby. Due to the closeness of his 4. Clarity, Unity and Agility brings ship to the Titanic, Captain Lord in better implementation.. It is not could have done respectable rescue individuals brilliance but a team’s operation in no time and could have synergy that brings in success. Captain saved many precious lives. But Rostron was quick to respond to the he could do precious nothing. In SOS from Titanic. He made proper

51 Parikalpana - KIIT Journal of Management - Vol. 17(I), June-2021 plan and inspired his team to act to the organizations operate in a VUCA best of their ability. (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) environment and 5. A right action at a wrong time is a leaders should be ready to handle wrong action.. Capt. Stanley was very crisis. While there can be one CEO much in a position to act, but didn’t. or one Captain, there can be leaders His ship reached too late near Titanic across the organization. When the and was of no help. As human beings leadership is not concentrated at the we should be sensitive to the distress apex but is spread across the hierarchy, of others and we should act without the organization becomes more any delay. resilient and responsive. Leadership and empowerment goes hand-in- Conclusion hand. Leaders must be generous in delegating and empowering the juniors A Leader makes all the difference. to be leaders in their own areas of He is visionary and can connect responsibilities. This is more relevant the dots. He guides and inspires in large organizations where many the team for ambitious goals. He times bureaucracy creeps in and slows also makes contingency plans to down the decision making process. In handle emergencies. Situations short, a leader is one who creates more change and hence strategy also leaders, not more followers. has to change. In modern times all

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