Difference between revisions of "Titanic leadership metaphor"

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(New page: ==Overview== category:metaphorsThe Titanic leadership metaphor uses a hypothetical situation on board the ''wikipedia:RMS Titanic'' as a thought-experiment for exploring leade...)
 
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==Overview==
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Fau5oK
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[[category:metaphors]]The [[Titanic leadership metaphor]] uses a hypothetical situation on board the ''[[wikipedia:RMS Titanic|RMS Titanic]]'' as a thought-experiment for exploring leadership decisions during time of extreme crisis.
 
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===Reality===
 
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The real ''RMS Titanic'' collided with an iceberg the evening of 1912-04-14 during her maiden voyage, and sank the following day with great loss of life (over a thousand passengers and crew perished in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic).
 
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===The Metaphor===
 
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The metaphor generally revolves around the premise that the iceberg has been spotted while there is still sufficient time to change course.
 
  
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This is historically a valid speculation. Although the iceberg was spotted before the collision, and measures were taken to attempt to divert the ship's course away from it, apparently these measures did not make optimal use of the ''Titanic'''s engine configuration:
 
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{{excerpt|[[wikipedia:RMS Titanic#Titanic's turning ability|Wikipedia]] said:}}
 
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The ''Titanic'' had triple-screw engine configuration, with reciprocating steam engines driving the wing propellers, and a steam turbine driving her centre propeller. The reciprocating engines were reversible, while the turbine was not. When Murdoch gave the order to reverse engines to avoid the iceberg, he inadvertently handicapped the turning ability of the ship. Since the centre turbine could not reverse during the "full speed astern" manoeuvre, it simply stopped turning. Furthermore, the centre propeller was positioned forward of the ship's rudder, diminishing the turning effectiveness of the rudder.
 
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Had Murdoch reversed the [[wikipedia:Port (nautical)|port]] engine, and reduced speed while maintaining the forward motion of the other two propellers (as recommended in the training procedures for this type of ship), experts theorise that the ''Titanic'' might have been able to navigate around the berg without a collision. However, given the closing distance between the ship and the berg at the time the bridge was notified, this might not have been possible without some sort of impact.
 
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Additionally, ''Titanic'' experts have hypothesised that if ''Titanic'' had not altered its course at all, but reversed its engines, and had run head-on into the iceberg, the damage would only have affected the first or, at most, the first two compartments. The liner [[wikipedia:SS Arizona|SS ''Arizona'']] had such a head-on collision with an iceberg in 1879, and although badly damaged, managed to make it to [[wikipedia:St John's, Newfoundland|St John's]] for repairs. Some dispute that ''Titanic'' would have survived such a collision, however, since ''Titanic's'' speed was higher than ''Arizona's'' her hull much larger, and mass much greater, and the violence of the collision could have compromised her structural integrity.
 
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{{-excerpt|retrieved on 2007-09-13}}
 
 
==Example==
 
==Example==
 
Imagine [[George W. Bush]] as captain of the ''Titanic'', frantically pointing at the iceberg and saying that the iceberg represents a tremendous shipwide threat and he therefore [[Bush's elevation of presidential power|needs emergency powers]] in order to deal with it. The crew agrees, and he promptly steers the ship closer to the iceberg. The crew start to protest about this, and he responds by announcing to everyone on board that we shouldn't listen to those calling for a different course to be set, because dissent weakens us and disrupts our resolve to work together in this time of terrible crisis.
 
Imagine [[George W. Bush]] as captain of the ''Titanic'', frantically pointing at the iceberg and saying that the iceberg represents a tremendous shipwide threat and he therefore [[Bush's elevation of presidential power|needs emergency powers]] in order to deal with it. The crew agrees, and he promptly steers the ship closer to the iceberg. The crew start to protest about this, and he responds by announcing to everyone on board that we shouldn't listen to those calling for a different course to be set, because dissent weakens us and disrupts our resolve to work together in this time of terrible crisis.
  
 
Yes, indeed, the iceberg is a threat -- but it's one we have the knowledge to deal with, and he's doing his best to prevent that knowledge and competence from being brought to bear.
 
Yes, indeed, the iceberg is a threat -- but it's one we have the knowledge to deal with, and he's doing his best to prevent that knowledge and competence from being brought to bear.

Revision as of 20:04, 14 July 2009

Fau5oK

Example

Imagine George W. Bush as captain of the Titanic, frantically pointing at the iceberg and saying that the iceberg represents a tremendous shipwide threat and he therefore needs emergency powers in order to deal with it. The crew agrees, and he promptly steers the ship closer to the iceberg. The crew start to protest about this, and he responds by announcing to everyone on board that we shouldn't listen to those calling for a different course to be set, because dissent weakens us and disrupts our resolve to work together in this time of terrible crisis.

Yes, indeed, the iceberg is a threat -- but it's one we have the knowledge to deal with, and he's doing his best to prevent that knowledge and competence from being brought to bear.

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