Extreme Leadership: Respect Trumps Harmony

Do you think sheltering in place and working from home is tough? Imagine finding yourself in the world’s most extreme workplace, experiencing a plane crash, living in a constant blizzard with temperatures that hover about -35 degrees, and “seeing” nothing but darkness for 6 months...and that wasn’t the toughest part. Add to that being only the 2nd female expedition leader of a team of 17 random people that you didn’t select...and they didn’t select you.

That was the life of our guest Rachael Robertson who was “accidentally” selected to be only the 2nd female expedition leader at Davis Station in Antarctica.

From fighting the extreme unnatural challenges of confinement, defusing intense interpersonal pressures, to even rescuing her team following a plane crash, Rachael never expected the extreme leadership lessons she learned leading her team would ever be used to help others cope with adversity. diversity, inclusion, and the ability to survive a global pandemic.

In her new book Respect Trumps Harmony, Rachael shares why the highest performing teams let go of harmony and focus on respect, diversity, and embracing difficult conversations.