Leadership Lessons from the Deck to the Fort!

🌊 Leadership Lessons from the Deck to the Fort! ⚓👑
Inspired by Shivaji Maharaj — Told for the Maritime World

 

🧭 Curious before you dive in?

• Do you think building people is more important than building systems?
• Can you lead a crew the same way a king led a kingdom?
• Would you like to future-proof your maritime leadership journey?

If you answered YES to any of these, read on. This is for you. 💡

 

⚔️ 1. Kanhoji Jedhe: Leadership in Loss

 

At just 18, Kanhoji Jedhe faced personal devastation. His wife, merely 12, committed sati after Hambirrao and Nagoji Jedhe’s demise. But instead of being shattered, he was embraced by Shivaji Maharaj, mentored, and entrusted with future responsibilities. Shivaji Maharaj understood that true leadership is not only about commanding—it’s about succession planning, mentorship, and emotional intelligence.

🎯 Takeaway for Us:
Onboard or ashore, identify leadership potential early. Your crew today could be your commanders tomorrow.

✅ Identify successors: Create growth paths for junior officers or cadets to move into key roles.

✅ Share responsibility: Delegating duties builds confidence and uncovers hidden potential within your team.

✅ Encourage growth through trust & training: People perform best when they feel trusted and trained, not just told.

🧠 Pro Tip: Great leaders focus on creating more leaders—not building dependency. Like Shivaji Maharaj, your leadership legacy lies in who you develop.

 

🧘 2. Vrindavan: The Power of Reflection & Training

 

 

(Clarification: Shivaji Maharaj was believed to be in spiritual retreat and strategy development during his "disappearance"—not necessarily in Vrindavan but likely near Nashik or the Konkan belt.)

During these months, he wasn’t idle—he was upgrading. Like in maritime operations, pausing to sharpen your skills is strategic.

🎯 Takeaway for Us:
📆 Schedule weekly time for reflection, personal learning, or leadership training.

🎓 Invest in YOU, before you lead others: An empowered crew starts with an empowered captain. Leadership training is your personal arsenal.

📌 “One year plan? Plant rice. Hundred-year plan? Train people.” 🌾
Building leaders takes time. The investment you make in others today secures your organization’s future. A resilient crew is the foundation of operational excellence.

 

👥 3. Manasa Nirman: Build People Like Forts

 

Tanaji, Suryaji, and hundreds more weren’t just skilled—they were emotionally invested. Shivaji Maharaj didn’t micromanage. He built people-forts: loyal, resilient, adaptable.

🎯 Takeaway for Us:
Mentor your team as you’d fortify a stronghold.

🪴 Develop soft skills, values, decision-making: Equip people for life, not just tasks.

🤝 Don’t micromanage—empower: Let your crew own their responsibilities. Autonomy builds confidence.

🛡️ “People are your real fortresses.” A great ship isn’t its engine—it’s its people.

 

🤝 4. Strategic Alliances: Friend or Foe?

 

Shivaji Maharaj allied with Adilshahi and Kutubshahi when it served the mission. This wasn’t weakness; it was collaborative leadership and strategy.

🎯 Takeaway for Us:
Don’t burn bridges—build strategic ones. Work with ex-competitors, tough clients, or other departments.

💡 “Enemies yesterday, allies today—for the mission tomorrow.”
Great leaders move beyond ego to elevate the mission.

 

🧱 5. Fort-Think: Build Systems, Not Just Success

 

 

Shivaji Maharaj didn’t just win wars—he built systems. Forts like Raigad were models of governance.

🎯 Takeaway for Us:
Build systems that outlast individuals.

🔁 Think systemic, not situational: One-time fixes are not solutions.

🛡️ Ask daily: “Am I building my Raigad today?” Whether it's your shift routine, document control, or crew training structure—build with the future in mind.

 

💰 6. Resourcefulness: Budget Like a Maharaj

 

 In 1670, facing war, Shivaji Maharaj was calm. Budget: ₹1.75 lakh. Response? “Me baghto paise.” That’s financial leadership.

🎯 Takeaway for Us:
🧾 Budget smartly: Maintain preventive funds for dry docks, repatriation, upgrades.

🧠 Think ROI—not just survival: Investments must give returns—on morale, performance, and safety.

📊 Build a war chest before you need it: Plan reserves for crisis—because storms don’t come with notice.

 

🫂 7. Internal Unity > Small Fights

 

 “While we fight over small things, the enemy watches.” Shivaji Maharaj warned of internal conflict.

🎯 Takeaway for Us:
💬 Resolve crewing, technical or onboard politics swiftly.

🫱 Unite for the mission: The ship must come first.

🚨 Petty fights break teams. Unity breaks barriers.
In team building and conflict resolution, choose unity.

 

🌍 8. Made in Japan – Reinvent Yourself

 

 

Akio Morita of Sony echoed what Shivaji practiced—continuous innovation. “Obsolete your product—or someone else will.”

🎯 Takeaway for Us:
Upgrade your knowledge, tools, and mindset.

📲 Think global. Act local: Stay aware of international best practices but tailor them onboard.

📌 Reinvent before you're forced to: In shipping culture, adaptability is strength.

🔁 Stay relevant. Stay sharp.

 

🎨 9. IRS Activity: Team Capability > Individual Ego

 

 

IRS officers once judged each other’s paintings. At the end, all art looked equally great. Why? Because collaborative leadership spreads quality.

🎯 Takeaway for Us:
🌀 Cross-train. Empathize. Break silos.

🚢 Onboard or ashore—no one sails alone.

💪 Together we rise. Alone, we stay stuck.

 

🧭 10. Mentor the Newcomers

 

 

Shivaji ensured every rookie had a mentor. His success was team unity, not solo brilliance.

🎯 Takeaway for Us:
Have an onboarding plan. Cadets need more than checklist—they need vision.

👨‍✈️ Pair juniors with seniors. Let them absorb more than manuals.

🪴 Growth is not accidental. It’s designed.

 

🚀 FINAL CHART – Your Leadership Compass

Theme	Insight 🧠	Action Step 🔧
👤 Growth	Self-train consistently	Block weekly time for upskilling
⚙️ Systems	Build strong routines	Create Raigad habits
🤝 Alliance	Collaborate widely	Drop ego, build bridges
💰 Budget	Plan ahead	Keep a war chest
🫂 Unity	Avoid petty fights	Align to a common goal
🌀 Innovation	Obsolete yourself	Upgrade before you’re outdated
🧑‍🏫 Mentoring	Train your team	Design structured induction plans

 

✨ Over to You, Shipping Captains! Which of these leadership lessons made you pause? How are you building your Raigad today? Who’s your next Tanaji?

💬 Comment below, ❤️ like this blog, and 🔁 share it with your maritime family. For more #ShippingInsights, follow @shipopsinsightswithdattaram.