I kicked start my 2021 by binge-watching Michael Bay’s post-apocalyptic series “The Last Ship”, premiered on TNT in 2014 and starring Eric Dane, Rhona Mitra, and Adam Baldwin. The story is about a U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Nathan James (DDG-151) being the lone surviving ship trying to find a cure for a pandemic that wiped out 80% of the world’s population (Given what’s happening with COVID-19, the writer of the show is quite prescient, isn’t it?). Below is the show’s trailer:

This series ranks as high on my list of favorite shows as Strike Back, which is another military action drama and also starring Rhona Mitra (I’m starting to see a pattern…). Below are five leadership lessons I learned from the respectable albeit fictional captain of the ship, Captain Tom Chandler.

Keep calm and carry on.

Captain Chandler never freaks out no matter what the circumstances are. He’s as cool-headed and calm as a cucumber when he’s facing the impossible - incoming torpedoes, low fuel, dying shipmates, bungled operations, lack of drinking water, rogue subs. You name it. It takes resolve, guts, and practice to stay calm in the face of immense danger. In startups, crisis resolution is perhaps the CEO’s main job. We’re constantly firefighting, and it’s all too easy to feel exasperated. Freaking out is easy; Maintaining composure is hard. In danger, our responsive system (Kahneman Type 1) overwhelms us with emotions while enabling us to react quickly. In stone age, this system is perhaps critical as it gets us to avoid immediate physical danger like a grizzly bear charging at us. However, in the modern world (or post-modern world, whatever you call it), this gets us in trouble. Instead, like Tom Chandler, we should take a breather, compose ourselves, and let the logical side of our brain regain control (Type 2). Even though The Last Ship is pure fiction, I do believe that there is an “out” in every sticky situation we find ourselves in. We just have to figure it out.

2. Inspire confidence

Right after the ship realized what was going on with the pandemic, Tom had to inspire confidence in him and lead when his formal authority was put into question as the command structure from Washington dismantled. Again and again, he demonstrated his resolve and articulated the mission to the crew in no uncertain terms and put himself in front of danger every single time. One could argue that such is arranged since Tom is the lead character and hence he needs to be on every land mission in every episode, but I do think that true leadership is not putting your staff on missions and projects that you yourself wouldn’t want to be in. If you’re putting your staff on a risky project, you have to be part of the team and lead. That’s how it should be done. The crew of the USS Nathan James had multiple opportunities to abandon their captain but time and again their captain, Tom, proved himself and the mission worthy of following. Another source of confidence is Tom’s expertise. Tom knew the ship, the tactics, the terrain, and his crew members incredibly well, and analogously, so shall we. We need to “know our stuff”. Lastly, leaders have to be real careful in their messaging, striking the right balance between transparency and confidentiality. Do you tell your crew the entire truth, which could risk them losing faith in you as a leader and jeopardize the mission, or do you tell them just enough good news to keep them focused? What happens to your credibility when your hesitance in sharing sensitive information give room for rumors to fester? These are not easy decisions to make. I always assume the best of people and adopt the policy of honesty but that hasn’t always worked out.

Inspiring confidence and obedience - that’s what we leaders have to do every day.

Eric Dane, Bridget Regan and Marissa Neitling star in "The Last Ship." (TNT) (Source)

3. Get the job done

I can find ten reasons in every episode for Tom to make excuses (many of which would be valid), shift blame, and not fight as hard. But that’s not what he did. He accomplished the mission every single time despite impossible odds. He learned to adapt to new circumstances but always did what he believed was the right thing to do, no matter how daunting it seemed. Now one could say it’s only good TV. It’s not possible.

But It is actually. Every successful entrepreneur got it done. No but’s, and’s, and if’s. You’re responsible for your company, the people who follow you, your customers, your investors, and those who rely on you. There’s so much at stake. Just find a way to make it work. And if we fail, we just have to pick ourselves up and try again. At least in the startup world, unlike in real-life military missions, no lives are lost. I’ve had the honor and privilege to work alongside some incredible founders and CEOs. They’ve gone through one crisis after another and have always pulled through. It’s not just that their tenacity rivals that of a triathlon, but they’ve progressed through these challenges and like a video game, gained the skills to tackle the next level of challenges. That said, you’re not alone. You have family, friends, mentors, and communities that support you. I highly recommend joining Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) if you don’t have a community of entrepreneurs supporting each other.

The nature of any startup mission is almost always impossible, but that is the mission we as leaders have chosen to undertake and so deliver we shall.

Comment: If you haven’t seen the show before, leave a comment and I’ll get you a free episode. If you’ve seen it, which episode is your favorite and what’s your leadership experience? Love to hear your thoughts.

Disclaimer: This post was not sponsored by TNT or any commercial entity affiliated with the TV series “The Last Ship”.