leadership

Skiff at Sea Ernest Hemingway’s epic story of Santiago, an experienced old fisherman determined to change his luck by sailing into the deep sea with the goal of making the biggest catch of his life, is one that shares with us so many enriching lessons on life, but also on leadership.

On the most intense and vivid passage of the novel, our lonely hero struggles at sea for three gruesome days against a giant marlin in a live-or-die battle that will bestow the greatest personal triumph for Santiago.

Here’s my take on the 7 most valuable leadership lessons Ernest Hemingway shares on this masterful narration.

1. Knowledge is more Powerful than Strength

In preparation for his journey, Santiago tells the young boy and loyal assistant Manolin, “I may not be as strong as I think, but I know tricks and I have a resolution.”

Understanding his surroundings at sea, the behavior of wind and weather patterns, the time of day, and the different combative movements of the fish once caught in the line, helped Santiago be more strategic, resourceful, and wise on his decisions to dominate the strength of the marlin.

If he had used only his strength, he would have gotten weak and exhausted very quickly unable to defeat a bigger, faster, and stronger fish, and would have eventually failed.

2. You can’t do Everything Alone

At several times during the epic struggle, the solitary Santiago wishes his young friend Manolin was present to help him. Particularly the boy could have assisted him as he got tired and needed to rest, or when he started feeling severe cramps.

Once the giant marlin was caught and secured on the side of the skiff, Santiago had to repeal several aggressive shark attacks on the marlin. Having a helping hand could have prevented the unfortunate ensuing damage.

3. Respect your Rivals

Even though the old fisherman fully understands the rivalry he is facing against the marlin, he never humiliates the big noble fish. Quite the opposite, Santiago has a deep admiration for the marlin’s dignity and beauty, and often refers to the fish as his brother and friend.

In fact, after having caught and killed his worthy opponent, there are instances of regret where Santiago feels sorry for what he has done. But self-reflecting about his place in life gives him some peace:

“You were born to be a fisherman as the fish was born to be a fish… You did not kill the fish only to keep alive and to sell for food. You killed him for pride and because you are a fisherman. You loved him when he was alive and you loved him after.”

4. Fight with what you have

As the old man embarks on his return with his big catch, the fight is not yet over. He now must battle with sharks wanting to eat his fish and ruin his extraordinary conquest.

Having lost his harpoon and realizing his unfavorable situation, Santiago wishes he had a stone for his knife and were better armed. But he couldn’t stop in the middle of the fight to think how he could have done better.

“Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.”

It is useless to spend any time on the “what ifs” and better to focus on maximizing your resources and abilities.

5. Don’t Rely on Luck

Additionally, we hear “luck” mentioned a couple of times throughout the book. As the old man embarked on his adventure, he thought to himself while at sea, “It is better to be lucky, but I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready.”

Even though luck is always welcome, we can’t depend on luck to help us come out victorious. However, readiness and determination are more likely to get us there.

6. Be Inspired by a Hero

Santiago loved baseball, and he idolized the Yankees’ star Joe DiMaggio. The old man identified with him personally, not only because he was the son of a poor fisherman, but because DiMaggio also struggled with a serious injury in his career before making a triumphant comeback.

Thinking of the great DiMaggio during his brutal fight gave Santiago the motivation and confidence he needed to endure his hardship at sea.

7. Never Give Up

The old man had gone eighty-four days without catching a fish, but this didn’t deter him. On the contrary, it gave him the courage to try harder and risk it all by going into the deep sea, where no other fisherman had gone.

Santiago then braved the match of his life catching a giant marlin; an insurmountable accomplishment he earned through patience, intelligence, skills, and determination. If this wasn’t enough, on his return he heroically confronted a shiver of sharks who ultimately devoured his fish, leaving only the meatless skeleton from tail to nose.

But losing the fish meat was no longer relevant. During his battle against the sharks, he tells himself, “man is not made for defeat… a man can be destroyed but not defeated.”

The old man returned to land with the giant carcass tied on the side of his boat, and his triumph duly recognized as the people in town were astonished to see the largest catch ever made.

8. Dreams of Lions

I’ll add an eighth lesson, which is related to life more than leadership. The old man frequently dreams of lions, referring to a time in the past when he was a young boy sailing in Africa mesmerized by seeing lions on the beaches.

This was a time of his life when he felt happiness and pride. The symbolism Hemingway uses here is obvious as a group of lions is called a pride.

The sea as with life, is a place full of risks and rewards, where we can find our hopes and fulfill our dreams, where we find our friends and our enemies, where we can fail or come out triumphant.

Life is made of memorable moments and it’s important to focus and continue creating moments that bring value to our lives, that make us better people, that give us the opportunity to love and improve the lives of those around us, and that give us a sense of accomplishment and happiness.

For when we reach the end of our lives, we can look back and say, “well done.”

Match Fire I don’t know if it’s originally a millennial term, but for the last few years I hear more and more the term “haters” being used in professional settings, especially with entrepreneurs.

The top definition for “hater” in Urban Dictionary says, “a person that simply cannot be happy for another’s person’s success.”

But I have also seen entrepreneurs wanting to feel important by having “haters” that they erroneously label people that provide some kind of criticism as “haters.”

It’s a fact, entrepreneurs can be very passionate about their projects and very protective of their ideas and leadership style. Many times to a point where they become blind to their erratic decisions or refuse to see or accept any flaws.

When talking to people about their business and asking for advice, many entrepreneurs don’t really want honest feedback, unless it’s positive or in a form of praise.

And so, when someone provides them with criticism, and that valuable feedback doesn’t please them, the entrepreneur is oftentimes quick to label the critic a “hater.”

It’s important to realize here that some of the harshest criticism you’ll receive will actually come from people who truly want you to succeed, not from “haters.” Be humble and open to this valuable insight.

Now, I’m not saying that all feedback you get will be good for your entrepreneurial objectives, but you should always conduct yourself appreciative and professionally.

Even better, know how to filter criticism, use it to your advantage, and turn it into something good; it may lead to positive results or spark new ideas to improve your business.

But when you put yourself in a position where you can’t take any criticism, you risk isolating yourself into an imaginary world of “me vs my haters”, where talking frequently about them becomes pernicious to your wellbeing while making you look weak.

When you put too much emphasis on your “haters” you are not only wasting valuable time and losing focus on your original business goal, but your objectives start shifting in the wrong direction as you give more importance to your “haters” by making your desire to beat them part of your goals.

Instead, convert that energy to drive you and your business forward.

Concentrate on the people you work with who rely on your leadership, focus on your clients whose positive experiences on your products and services are helping you grow your business, and focus on the investors who have put their trust in you believing in what you do.

Any amount of time spent on your “haters” is counterproductive. Additionally, your audience doesn’t care nor wants to hear about them, so quit talking about them on your social media posts or in public conversations.

If, on the other hand, there are people begrudging you in the openness of social media, don’t resent them, and don’t make their problem your problem. Continue with your life focusing on those that truly matter to you.

Dale Carnegie said it brilliantly, “no one ever kicks a dead dog.” If people are talking about you, take it as a great indicator that you are doing something valuable that is getting people’s attention.

The best way to avoid criticism is to do nothing and be a nobody, but as long as you are an entrepreneur who wants to accomplish big things, know that you’ll hardly be immune to criticism.

Learn that, although you may not have control over how people perceive and treat you, you do have absolute control over your reactions towards them and on how you let their actions affect you.

When you fully dominate this, you will see instantly that the “haters” have been reduced to nothing, becoming insignificant in your life.

Seven Leadership Lessons from Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”

Let’s Talk About Your “Haters”