If people are unsure of the final result, they will not cooperate with enthusiasm till the completion of the process.

They passed through so many dangers and obstacles, they crossed seas and oceans, yet they had failed to find Captain Grant. Their courage was put to heavy ordeals, they had passed through all the emotions of waiting, but they were all now filled with despair, especially Mary and Robert, the Captain’s children.

Lord Glenarvan himself was leading the expedition, who was aware they came again to a stop in their search. Once again, the map they guided themselves after in their journey had led them on a wrong route, which he himself had recommended. They once again failed. But having a great enthusiasm only true adventurers show, being confident in the success of the mission he himself had prepared and which he promised to fulfill, he addressed to his small crew:

- We must have confidence, my friends ! Let’s have confidence ! Captain Grant is not here, with us, but we are sure we will find him.

Those words were enough to restore hope and good humour to the passangers on the ship Duncan.

The ability to see the perspective through the leader’s eyes

During that long journey, all the crew members on Duncan continued to see the perspective of success only through the eyes of Lord Glenarvan, going where he wanted, stopping only where he wanted to, and admiting all that he said. And that’s because Lord Glenarvan was clver enough to always give them a drop of confidence and energy, especially at difficult times, causing them to take an active and constructive behavior. His entire attitude shows that he was a strong man, both physically and mentally.

In leadership, there is no victory gained by giving up

The only way to reach your goals is to urge people to participate to their achievement, and your first priority in this regard must be improving their work efficiency and enhancing their development potential. But when they arrive in a new situation or when they are in a critical situation, or when they seem to waste time, people start having doubts and reserves about your effectiveness as a leader and your leadership ability, and you become a mediocre and weak man in their eyes, whom they no longer have respect for. People can’t courageously follow the will of the man who isn’t capable to lead them effectively in a direction favourable to them. And in this case, it can even happen that their entire kindness and interest fall so dramatically, that they begin to have a hostile attitude towards him. In leadership, you either assume your role as a leader and you fulfill your mission, or you’re discredited.

Leaders understand the moral of the Scottish proverb: “You can never be bound by a promise made recklessly”. Lord Glenarvan’s promise rooted so deeply in his crew that everything they made issued from it. They many times rushed in the unknown, putting their lives in danger – in the spirit, of course, of finding Captain Grant. And every time, his promise with value of commitment respresented a reason strong enough to follow him.

Ten, nine, eight, seven…

When the signs of a possible crisis, with everything it implies, are increasingly visible, people’s state of mind becomes more and more impredictible, reaching indignation and revolt. The patience of everyone on the ship Duncan was put to pressure when, after months of travel, they had reached even the coast of South America, without finding any trace which would indicate the place where Captain Grant could be found. They no longer had that inner desire, that intense feeling of success, that vibrant chord which inspires a boundless confidence and an overflowing enthusiasm. The hope they felt deep inside their hearts had disappeared almost completely.

At that moment, desperate and frustrating, Lord Glenarvan could hardly appease the spirits of the people whose decision to find the captain was troubled. He still succeeded through his words full of hope and his tone full of courage and ardour, but it was probably for the last time. Because from that moment on, all his crew members “started” the countdown. If they failed to track the captain as soon as possible, that last bit of confidence they granted him would totally disappear. The relationship between them would permanently alter.

You can’t let people stay too much in stand-by

People can’t encourage themselves all alone. As a leader, you can’t expect them to fill with courage and propel themselves forward. Your task is to encourage and help them reach their potential, by giving them the energy to move forward when they stop because of an error. But you can’t let people stay too much in “stand-by”, because they are big consumers of hope. You can’t be either overly optimistic and say: “We will wait as long as it is needed.”

People, with all their beliefs, fall into your mission up to a point. Because, absolutely, there is a limit till where they are willing to follow you, the point where the countdown reaches 0. Then, they decide whether it’s worth to confide in you and follow you further or leave you for good. They will ask themselves questions like: Where does this guy lead us to? Is it worth to follow him? Will we be safe with him? Then, they will firmly choose the most convenient option.

Conclusion: Once you become the leader, the countdown starts. It is up to you, as a leader, when it reaches 0, this point meaning victory or failure. Throughout the “way”, especially in critical situations, you are the mobilizing factor that entertains the team’s enthusiasm, hope and pro-active attitude. Even when you have lost hope, don’t show it to your team, but inspire them trust, optimism and, at the same time, strive to find solutions in order to overstep the crisis.