Lead on Purpose with James Laughlin Stranded in Antarctica for 537 Days – David Knoff’s Unbelievable Survival Story
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What do you do when you're cut off from the world… for over a year?
David Knoff was meant to lead a 12-month Antarctic expedition.
Then COVID hit.
And what should’ve been one year turned into 537 days of complete isolation in one of the world’s most extreme environments.
In this episode, David and I dive deep into:
- How he kept his team alive, united, and mission-focused under extreme uncertainty
- What war zones and Antarctica taught him about burnout, control, and calm
- The reality of leadership when every plan goes out the window
- What happened when a team member snapped—and how David brought him back
- Why vulnerability, storytelling, and weekly meetings saved the station's culture
- His darkest moment—and what helped him survive it
This is a masterclass in real-world leadership—far from the safety of boardrooms and business books.
💡 Whether you’re a CEO, coach, athlete, or team leader, the lessons inside this conversation will change the way you lead.
This episode was proudly sponsored by NZ Mortgages. You can contact them here - https://www.nzmortgages.co.nz
- Learn more about David here - https://davidknoff.com
- Follow David on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/537daysofwinter/
- Grab a copy of David’s book here - https://davidknoff.com/537-days-of-winter
Website: https://www.jjlaughlin.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6GETJbxpgulYcYc6QAKLHA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesLaughlinOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameslaughlinofficial/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/life-on-purpose-with-james-laughlin/id1547874035 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3WBElxcvhCHtJWBac3nOlF?si=hotcGzHVRACeAx4GvybVOQ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslaughlincoaching/
James Laughlin is a High Performance Leadership Coach, Former 7-Time World Champion, Host of the Lead On Purpose Podcast and an Executive Coach to high performers and leaders. James is based in Christchurch, New Zealand.
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- If you're interested in booking me for a keynote or workshop, contact Caroline at caroline@jjlaughlin.com