Into the Storm: Lessons in Teamwork from the Treacherous Sydney-to- Hobart Ocean Race

Description

In the face of turmoil and tragedy, a crew of "amateur" sailors piloted their tiny vessel--the AFR Midnight Rambler--through a treacherous storm in order to achieve victory in a world-renowned sailing competition. Their triumph--perhaps even their survival--owes itself to their astonishing commitment to teamwork: an alchemy of cooperation, trust, planning, and execution. Author Dennis N.T. Perkins chronicles their nearly four-day ordeal and draws parallels to the world of business, revealing how teams can work together to overcome obstacles and succeed during difficult times. The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is among the most demanding sailing competitions in the world. Unpredictable seas make the approximately-630-nautical-mile course grueling under the best conditions, but the 1998 race proved to be the most perilous to date when a sudden and violent storm struck. Winds gusted over 100 mph and monstrous 80-foot waves towered over boat masts. Six sailors perished and another 55 were saved in what became the largest search and rescue operation in Australia's history. But even while bigger, better-equipped yachts attempted to maneuver around the storm, Ed Psaltis and his crew on the AFR Midnight Rambler made the daring decision to head directly into its path. Winner of the 2013 Small Business Book Awards from Small Business Trends, Into the Storm will help your team achieve extraordinary feats--together. Illustrated with examples from the story and compelling case studies, this engaging book provides the resources and tools to support teams on their sometimes-tumultuous journey to success.

DENNIS PERKINS is the author of Leading at The Edge and CEO of Syncretics Group, a consulting firm dedicated to helping leaders and teams thrive under conditions of adversity, uncertainty, and change. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, he successfully completed his first Sydney Hobart Race in 2006. JILLIAN B. MURPHY is the Director of Client Services at Syncretics.

..". Perkins and Murphy draw up a list of strategies for 'teamwork at the edge' in sharing the burdens and, in the end, the rewards." --In the Black magazine ..".a clear and concise examination of the most effective team building principles for navigating successfully through times of crisis and adversity." --Blog Business World ..".a heart-stopping tale of incredible teamwork...and the power of teamwork to prevail over uncertainty, adversity, and formidable competition." --Guerrilla Project Management ..".allows you to learn valuable leadership lessons as well as enjoy a gripping tale of an amazing adventure." --LifeTwo ..".effectively telling a story of how leaders can survive and win when they apply certain skills even in the most adverse conditions." --BlogCritics ..".excellent lessons on how to form a team, manage a team and the team dynamics that work best, especially when faced with an extremely demanding challenge." --Serve to Lead ..".rich in lessons for anyone tasked with maintaining smooth, effective teamwork and delivering winning results in the unpredictable, turbulent waters of today's business environment." --Eric Jacobson, Leadership Blogger A Winner in the 2013 Small Business Book Awards in Leadership Winner of the Small Business Book Awards from Small Business Trends 2013 "And while this is an epic story with great life lessons, it has plenty of intellectual capital, too." --Life Insurance Selling "Anyone skippering a boat should buy this. Anyone involved in running a business should do likewise. I highly recommend it." --Australian Sailing + Yachting Magazine "If you enjoy books that employ tales of extreme adventure to teach business lessons, you will find a lot of value in Into the Storm." --800 CEO Read "Into the Storm is a truly great tale and wonderful read." --Mainsheet, newsletter for San Diego Yacht Club "It is one of the most enjoyable team-building books I've read in a while...effective, compelling, and enjoyable..." --Facilities Manager "It's a nail biting adventure story combined with practical advice on how to build a winning team - whether it's in sports, business or life." --Hike Bike Travel "Perkins has created a valuable and engaging guide for any team trying to navigate the treacherous waters of its own corner of the business world." --Risk Management magazine "Perkins weaves an extraordinary tale of great leadership and team work... Ultimately it's a book about human endeavour and well worth a read." --Marinews "Startups need teamwork entering the perfect storm." --Martin Zwilling, Forbes.com "The inspiring story of this team is very applicable for any team enviornment. Into the Storm is a fun read disguised s a business book." --Networking Insights "The thrilling story... is alone worth the time of reading this book but a reader is also treated to insightful leadership strategies..." --Enter Stage Right "There are many books on building teamwork, but very few are as interesting and as effective as Into The Storm." --Inland Empire Business Journal "This book is one that you cannot put down... I really liked the format - captivating adventure followed by lessons." --CEO Blog