What makes him the Captain? Any one of them can sail the boat, take us to a snorkel spot, and navigate back to shore. Is that leadership?
The Captain was different.
The Captain made us feel safe and the captain made us laugh.
“Wear your vest, we have one for everyone and they really help. Only lost a few people during the last tour.”
The Captain told a good story.
“Any deadheads in the group? Okay, make sure to share with the crew. Jerry Garcia was an avid scuba diver and the snorkel king of Hawaii. He set up permanent buoys around the island so boats like ours wouldn’t need to drop anchor and disrupt the coral.”
And the Captain got everyone on the same page, working together. Patrons and participants in a shared experience. That sounds like leadership.
“If you’re not drowning, you’re a lifeguard. We have no passengers, only crew. Take care of each other on and off the ship.”
Creating an environment like this is pretty easy if you try. I’m sure it was rehearsed. We’d hear the same lines if we joined him this time next year. It worked all the same.
The Captain understood that his role was not just sailing the ship, it was creating an experience.
He was the Captain. And he made every one of us feel like the snorkel king.
