Leadership in Action: Reader Forum - Leadership Lessons from a Whaleboat

DEVELOPMENT

The steerer is the formal leader, but he must employ other leaders to be effective. He must continually communicate with the rower in the number-five seat to keep the pace even and slow enough to ensure a full pull. In races it is easy to increase the tempo, rushing the pull and losing the natural glide at the end of the stroke. Nineteenth-century boats were crowded with equipment, and each seat had functions that required some level of leadership for specific tasks. Everyone had to literally pull his weight, and crew members who demonstrated ability rose on merit through the ranks.

Companies must take advantage of every leader and potential leader in the organization. Leadership is situational and requires development. Every organization ...