Golden Stripes: Leadership on the High Seas

by Captain V S Parani

Overview

Although merchant ships carry 90% of the world’s trade, the mariners who run them have little guidance on leadership. This can result in disasters such as the Titanic, Costa Concordia, the Exxon Valdez, and the recent El Faro. With modern ships being worth several million dollars, seafarers need leadership advice at every level of their career. Golden Stripes, Leadership on the High Seas provides this guidance, and much more.

Captain Parani weaves together his rich experience, cutting-edge insights and real-life stories in this book which has already garnered international acclaim. The reader will discover how to run a tight ship; enhance expertise; lead and communicate with a team; implement safety leadership; decide effectively in high-stake situations and be inspired by legendary sailors. It is a practical leadership action plan which can be applied at sea, or in any other workplace, anywhere.

Golden Stripes is the first leadership book of its kind, written by a mariner specifically for commercial shipping. The author’s experience both on board and from his corporate roles gives him a unique perspective on why, when and how sailors fail or succeed. Important messages are woven around engaging stories, quotes and practical leadership models, making this an indispensable read for all leaders.

Acclaim for Golden Stripes

... has identified a gap in the maritime education and training of seafarers and it may not be one that can be filled by adding a course in first year programs. It needs to be embedded in all maritime education and also the focus of lifelong learning. Glenn Blackwood, Chairman, International Association of Maritime Universities and Board Member, World Maritime University

...The ideas that you will get from this book, based on years of experience at sea, will inspire, stimulate, encourage and teach you the things that GREAT LEADERS DO. Best-selling author Steven Shallenberger

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781849953146
Publisher:	Whittles Publishing
Publication date:	10/03/2017
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Captain Parani is an executive with a multinational shipping company that is responsible for over 185 ships and 8000 seafarers worldwide. In his various corporate roles, he has helped improve the fleet safety record and achieve high personnel performance. Captain Parani is a Fellow of the Nautical Institute, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers and a Member of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology.

Table of Contents

Introduction: A Glimpse from the Gangway xiii

Earning my stripes xiv

Chapter 1 Why is Stripes About Leadership? 1

Chapter 2 Leadership Lessons from the Sea 4

Who is a leader? Is it just the uniform? 5

What does ideal Leadership look like? The lighthouse 5

The mindset of a leader: the compass 7

Section I Lead with Expertise 13

Chapter 3 Lead with Expertise: The Keel of Leadership 13

What is the Ideal of expertise? The mariner 15

Exposing the myth of competency: the Kraken 16

Why we need more experts like James Cook 18

When does one become an expert? The moment of truth 20

Chapter 4 How to be an Expert: The Steel of the Keel 22

Experience = expertise? 23

Sea-time: when just experience is not enough 24

An intentional approach to expertise: a sea-change 25

A new model of expertise: the celestial sphere 26

Chapter 5 Deliberate Practice: The Propeller 29

Maximum practice through maximum performance: Go full revs! 30

Max it daily. Crank it up! 31

Widen your practice outside your comfort zone 33

150 per cent: the Sauerkraut 34

Lateral skills: widen your horizon 35

Chapter 6 Intentional Knowledge: The Rudder 37

Do we really know all that we need to know? The almanac 38

Five powerful sources of Intentional Knowledge that can help build expertise:

1 Self-analysis: find out and let yourself know 39

2 Log in your journal 41

3 To err is human; to learn from it is being sea-wise 42

4 Observe and listen: sea-sponge 43

5 Training: the grindstone 44

Chapter 7 Focused Feedback: The Sounding Line 47

Are you receiving feedback clearly? Untangle the line 48

Actively asking for feedback: echo-sounder 49

To ask, or not to ask? Sound pulse 50

Section II Lead Yourself 53

Chapter 8 Lead Yourself: The Hull of Leadership 53

Lead yourself despite challenges: ride the waves 54

Chapter 9 Lead Your Motivation: The Motor 57

How do we motivate ourselves daily? Motor power 58

You can master self-motivation with the five powerful techniques: 1 Build strong self-confidence: the bow 59

2 Find your inspiration - it's everywhere: star sight 60

3 Let your body motivate your mind: the governor 61

4 Set your own goals: voyage plan 62

5 Conquer demotivation: ride out the storm 63

Chapter 10 Lead Your Attention: The Radar 65

When distractions compete for your attention: clutter 65

How attention fades away with routine: haze 66

Five practical techniques to lead your attention:

1 Give yourself time: leeway 68

2 Prepare to be distracted, so you are not: red bridge 68

3 Stay mindfully manual: hand steering 69

4 Engage your senses: barometer 71

5 Focus your vision: binoculars 72

Chapter 11 Your Habits, Your Masts 76

Discover the three top habits that seasoned mariners such as Captain Roald Amundsen are known to display: 77

1 Planning: chart your course 77

2 Time management: time and tide wait for no seaman 81

3 Being organised: stay shipshape 82

Chapter 12 Your Mind-Body Machine 86

When the engine fails: body troubles 87

When we lose our bearings: mind troubles 88

Five practical strategies to keep the mind body machine in top shape:

1 Eat right, fuel up 89

2 Sleep well, beat fatigue 90

3 Exercise: become a man of steel 92

4 B positive 93

5 De-stress: have a relief valve 94

Section III Lead Your Team 97

Chapter 13 Team: All Hands on Deck 97

Each of us is a link in the chain 98

Pulling together as a chain: a great team 100

Chapter 14 Add Value to Your Team: Turbocharge 101

Five easy steps that can help you become the ideal shipmate that you also want others to be:

1 Own your deck 102

2 Put your ship first 103

3 Look out for your mates 104

4 Take the initiative: throw the line 105

5 Be an effective follower: be the supporting frame 106

Chapter 15 Teamwork Tools: Knots and Splices 109

Implement these four team-building tools: 111

1 Familiarise: know your ropes 111

2 Meetings: make the loop 112

3 Drills: flex the team muscle 114

4 Celebrate; dress the ship 114

Chapter 16 Lead Your Team: At the Helm 117

Leaders can, however, steer their teams to success with these three key skills: 118

1 Effective delegation: It's yours, mate! 118

2 Supervision: the telescope 120

3 Coaching: the steering light 122

Chapter 17 Communicate for Success: Bells and Whistles 126

Why is communication important for a leader? The Morse code 127

What is communication? The whistle 128

Here are five important skills for effective communication:

1 Listen well: sonar 129

2 Communicate quickly: transponder 131

3 Be precise: the bell 132

4 Be courageous: the gong 133

5 Be respectful: the flag 134

Section IV Safety Leadership 138

Chapter 18 Safety Management: The Lifejacket 138

What causes accidents? Fire in the hold! 140

Hazards and risks: the devil and the deep blue sea 140

Preventing accidents systematically: the lifebuoy 141

A new model of safety: the 'Safe-Man' game! 143

Where are the devils? Iceberg ahead! 144

Switch off the breaker, and switch on the 'Safe-Man' mindset 145

Hold it! Take Two! 146

Safety controls: the safety shoe 148

Chapter 19 Safety Leadership: The Fuel 153

The safety culture: the energy for the game 154

Seven strategies for a strong safety culture: 156

1 Create symbols: the funnel 157

2 Open feedback channels: from tunnel to funnel 157

3 'Hands-on' risk management: mainsail 158

4 Share knowledge: sea stories 158

5 Enforce routines: polished brass 159

6 Reinforce: gangplank 160

7 Safety first decisions: to sail, or not to sail 162

Section V The Command That Matters 165

Chapter 20 Decisive Leadership: True North 165

The cardinal (sins) buoys of decision making: 166

1 Hubris; muddy waters 167

2 Assumptions: the fog 167

3 Indecision: frozen waters 169

4 Avoidance: abandon ship! 170

5 Imprudence, rhumb line 171

Key to good decision making: the right heading 172

A new template for decision making: DECIDE 173

Chapter 21 Epilogue: The Voyage of Leadership 181

An action plan for success: Full ahead! 183

About the author 185

Salutes: dedications 187

Golden Stripes Resources 189

Useful links: a sea of knowledge 194

Pictorial index of Golden Stripes: Leader-Ship on the high seas 196