What Offshore Sailing Captains Teach Us about Leadership

Abstract

This qualitative and exploratory study examines how leadership is demonstrated in the context of offshore sailing through the sea stories of sailing captains’ experiences where there was potential for massive physical, psychological, or material consequences to the crew and/or the boat. The analysis of their stories shows that offshore sailing captains demonstrate the characteristics of in extremis leaders, consistent with prior research, which include inherent and intrinsic motivation, effective sense-making and sense giving during the extreme event, and developing a collaborative team without hierarchy built on trust engendered from demonstrating competence and confidence. The study also revealed a model of how these captains demonstrate dynamic system leadership through continuous learning and acting which prepares the captains to prevent or minimize the effects of the extreme situations they encounter at sea. Through their self-development, technical skills, emotional intelligence, planning and preparation, team management, and constant scanning of the environment they build situation awareness for quick risk assessment and decision-making in moments of in extremis. The captain’s goal at all times is to keep the crew and the boat safe, both physically and psychologically, through normal conditions and during in extremis events, using appropriate decisions and actions, and always remaining calm.