Dennis Perkins

My Leadership at The Edge presentation recounts the saga of legendary Antarctic explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton, and his unparalleled feat of leadership. On December 5, 1914, Shackleton and 27 men sailed from South Georgia Island in the Southern Ocean aboard a wooden vessel named Endurance. They set out on a formidable mission: to be the first explorers to cross the Antarctic continent. Forty five days after their departure, disaster struck. Endurance was beset by solid pack ice, and the expedition was trapped. For nearly two years, Shackleton and his crew were stranded in the icy sea. They endured unimaginable hardships: brutal cold, total darkness, aching thirst, gnawing hunger, constant danger, and utter desolation. Facing these challenges with astonishing good cheer, Shackleton and his crew returned, without loss of life, after 634 days in the Frozen South. The program highlights the power of effective leadership & my Ten Critical Strategies for Success.

My Teamwork at The Edge presentation recounts the contemporary story of the AFR Midnight Rambler, winners of the treacherous 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race. This 723-mile, deep water challenge—often called the Everest of offshore ocean racing—is considered one of the toughest in the world. The 1998 race proved to be the most perilous in the race’s 61-year history. After battling mountainous waves and hurricane force winds, the diminutive 35-foot boat arrived safely. The Ramblers’ decision to head into the eye of the storm, along with their extraordinary tenacity, courage, and teamwork, enabled the crew to survive and triumph at The Edge. This program uses the lens of distributed leadership to explore how team members can work together to survive and triumph against tough obstacles and fierce competition.