Ferdinand Magellan

Historical Figure

16th Century Portugal/Spain

From The Story of Magellan and The Discovery of the Philippines by Butterworth, Hezekiah

"The sea is dangerous and its storms terrible, but these obstacles have never been sufficient reason to remain ashore."

Known for: First circumnavigation of the Earth and proving the world's true size

travel exploration leadership courage resilience

About Ferdinand Magellan

Role: Portuguese explorer leading a Spanish expedition to find a western route to the Spice Islands.

Core Belief: Believes in following his highest duty and entering the widest field, trusting in a divine will to guide him towards becoming a benefactor of the world.

Worldview: Sees the world as a place full of wonders waiting to be discovered, and believes that exploration and expansion are essential for the good of mankind and the spread of Christianity.

Debates featuring Ferdinand Magellan

Leadership & Uncertainty

I feel like I'm driving off a cliff. I'm leading my company's expansion into a new market. No one at our company has done this before. The board approved the project based on my proposal, but honestly, I was guessing at a lot of the numbers. Now I have a team of 8 people who relocated for this opportunity. They trust me. But every week brings a new problem I didn't anticipate. Costs are higher than projected. The regulatory environment is more complex. Our timeline is slipping. I'm torn between admitting uncertainty (which might undermine confidence) and projecting confidence (which might be lying). My team needs to believe this will work, but I'm not sure it will. How do I lead into the unknown without either deceiving my team or paralyzing them with my own doubts? — Navigator Without a Map in Nashville

76 votes

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