In the fast-paced world that we live, reading books from classical literature tends to become an obsolete pastime.
However, many of these books are gems in their own right, and by reading them, a reader can have access to and reflect on insightful information that comes from the past to elucidate the present.
“A son of the sun”, written by Jack London, is such a book.
In the face of David Grief, who is the main hero of the book, a reader with an interest in leadership and management can identify many of the traits that a modern leader is expected to have, according to the latest leadership and management theories, so it can be argued that this book was well ahead of its time from many aspects that pertain to leadership.
David Grief, a hands-on leader from the past
Throughout the chapters of the book, David Grief does not have any hesitation to work harder than the lowest-ranking members of his crew, regardless of the conditions and consequences.
If this is not a perfect example of hands-on leadership, I don’t know anything else that could be described as such.
It could be argued that David Grief is a fictional character who embarks on adventures that originate entirely out of fiction, so he doesn’t really count as a real example of a hands-on leader.
However, although his story is fictional, his example can serve as a guideline for any aspiring hands-on leader to follow.
In a chapter of the book, he works shifts alongside other members of his crew to keep a ship engine running, showing his technical knowledge and skills, at the same time.
When his crew members see his example, they have no excuse to work less than their leader.
Modern leaders can benefit from copying his approach, because, in this way, they will be able to boost the motivation levels of their team members, since nothing is more effective than setting an example of optimum performance and effort, as long as this example is genuine and authentic rather a hypocritical effort just to put up a show.
David Grief, a leader who ate last
During his sailing adventures, David Grief was never treated better than the members of his crew.
In fact, he considered himself as just another member of the crew.
In an extreme version of the latest leadership motto that wants leaders to eat last, when his crew members starved, he also starved himself.
He shared the fate of his crew members, and saw them as his comrades, notwithstanding any differences in rank and hierarchy.
In the numerous life-and-death situations that he faced during his journeys, he needed to have trusted crew members on his side, and only by sharing their common fate, he could earn and build their high level of trust, loyalty, and confidence in his skills and position as a leader.
Sources and further reading:
A Son of the Sun by Jack London
Leadership Lessons from the Pages of Classic Literature