A perfect storm is the term for treacherous, simultaneous weather and oceanic conditions—such as strong waves, powerful winds, and torrential rain—that conspire to create dangerous seas. In business, leaders are facing a perfect storm of a different sort. Talent wars, actual war, the pandemic’s disruption to business, and inflation are just some of the issues troubling businesses today.
So who can help executives navigate these difficult waters? For the past decade, I have researched some of the most dangerous and difficult polar expeditions to see how their leaders managed the many perfect storms they faced. I’ve come to the conclusion that having a second-in-command on a team, no matter the team’s size, was a defining feature of a mission’s success.
