From Deck Plates to Boardrooms: 12 Sea-Tested Ways to Be the Best in Your Business

🚢 From Deck Plates to Boardrooms: 12 Sea-Tested Ways to Be the Best in Your Business 🌊💼

By ShipOpsInsights with Dattaram

 

🌟 Introduction – The Day I Saw Excellence in Action

It was a humid morning in the Singapore Strait. I was a young officer, still learning the ropes—literally and figuratively. Our Chief Engineer, an old sea dog with silver hair and a laugh like rolling waves, stood calmly in the engine room as a major fault shut down half the systems. While panic bubbled around us, he moved like he’d been preparing for this moment his whole life—calm, precise, and relentless.

That day, I realised something life-changing: being the best in your business isn’t about being lucky—it’s about living a set of principles every single day.

So, whether you’re navigating shipping routes or charting your career path, here are 12 powerful, sea-tested ways to rise above the crowd and become the lighthouse others steer towards.

1️⃣ Be Better Today Than You Were Yesterday

Every sunrise at sea is a fresh chance to improve. Ask yourself: What can I do today that makes me a little sharper, faster, or wiser than yesterday? Excellence is not a giant leap—it’s small, daily steps. Over time, those steps will take you farther than you ever dreamed.

2️⃣ Do What Inspires You

When you love what you do, even the roughest seas feel like an adventure. Find the aspect of your work that lights you up—whether it’s problem-solving in the engine room, negotiating with clients, or mentoring young cadets—and let that passion fuel you.

3️⃣ Pay 10% Attention to the Problem, 90% to the Solution

Problems are like sudden storms—acknowledge them, but focus on navigating through. Too much energy spent on “why it happened” steals from “how to fix it.” Leaders in shipping know: course correction matters more than complaining about the wind.

4️⃣ Do Your Job at the Highest Level

Whether you’re scrubbing the deck or signing million-dollar contracts, do it like the whole world is watching. Pride in your work builds your reputation faster than any marketing ever could.

5️⃣ Praise Others When They Least Expect It

In shipping—and in life—recognition is the wind that fills sails. Praise a colleague in front of others, especially when they’re not expecting it. It not only motivates them but also strengthens your leadership presence.

6️⃣ Practice Your Craft Daily

No one becomes a world-class navigator, engineer, or negotiator overnight. Like a sailor reading the stars, daily practice turns skill into second nature.

7️⃣ Work Hard—No Excuses

Storm or sunshine, deadlines or disasters—show up. Excuses sink ships faster than storms. Your consistent effort is what makes you reliable.

8️⃣ Learn to Get Up Quickly After Falling

Every shipping professional has faced delays, damages, or even disasters. The ones who succeed bounce back like a buoy after a wave hits. Resilience is your life jacket.

9️⃣ Keep Your Promises

Trust is currency in shipping. When you promise something—whether to deliver a cargo or to mentor a junior—keep that promise no matter what.

🔟 Show Nobility in Difficult Moments

True character isn’t shown when seas are calm—it’s tested in storms. Treat others with respect even when stress is high, and you’ll be remembered long after the voyage ends.

1️⃣1️⃣ Always Try to Exceed Expectations

Deliver your work like you’re aiming to surprise the person receiving it. That little “extra” is what keeps you ahead.

1️⃣2️⃣ Recharge Your Body and Mind Daily

Even the best captains need rest. Take time to recharge—read, meditate, exercise—so when the tide turns, you’re ready.

⚓ Closing – Your Journey Starts Today

Excellence isn’t an accident—it’s a daily choice. If you take even one of these principles to heart today, you’ll already be ahead of where you were yesterday.

💬 Over to you, Captain: Which of these 12 ways will you start practicing today? Drop it in the comments.
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