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No matter where the crew is working, however, they have to be prepared to give the boat 100 percent. Crews today might man the sails or the engine rooms. The ships of old required crews of men who would paddle the ship or control the sails to keep the boat moving. Ships have always required dedicated crews to keep them afloat. They don’t shy away from making firm decisions, nor are they so concerned for their own power that they neglect to listen to what others have to offer.
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Strong leaders unabashedly listen to those around them while also using their own experience and wisdom to make decisions for the benefit of the company. A good captain is able to take all of these sources of information and synthesize them to come up with the best possible solution.Īs a business leader, you must be willing to do the same. Captains will take advice from their advisers in certain situations, and then balance the advice against their own experience. Like any good leader, however, a captain also willingly listen. They don’t waffle in making decisions and have confidence in their abilities. Their ability to see the larger picture lets them direct their subordinates. Captains have considerable experience sailing ships and know what needs to be done to make the trip a success. A captain always leads the ship’s crew and directs activities on board. The importance of clear leadershipShips are not democracies. Ships of all sizes require a considerable amount of work from everyone on board, and we in business can learn a great deal from these professionals when it comes to keeping our own companies running and moving in the right direction. We’ve all heard the expression “keeping the ship afloat.” Anyone who has ever spent time on an actual ship knows that keeping a boat afloat and getting it to the intended destination is no easy task.
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