The Sinking of the Titanic: An Analogy of Failed Leadership
“We have struck iceberg . . . sinking fast . . . come to our assistance.” Those words pierced the airwaves on a cold evening in 1912. Before they tapped the last bit of Morse Code, they became the epitaph for the lives of the 1200 people lost that night on the Titanic. The ship was doomed and slowly sliding into its watery grave. Why did the largest, most advanced ship of the century sink?
Those of us who have studied the Titanic or at least saw the movie may know. It wasn’t the iceberg that caused the disaster, but something else. Clear in my mind is the real reason that mighty ship went down — leadership had failed.
The Titanic rests on the bottom of the ocean, but we can resurrect the truth. The lessons we learn can have a positive impact on our ability to lead others.
Leadership is Always Responsible — Leadership is more than a figurehead. Leadership is not simply a position, a job title or in this case, being the captain of the ship. Leadership is not just about es.
This was Captain E.J. Smith’s retirement trip. He was headed for the easy life. All he had to do was get to New York. No one is sure why he ignored seven iceberg warnings from his crew and other ships. o.
Biggest Is Not Always the Best