10 Leadership Lessons from Master and Commander

Master and Commander is one of my all-time favorite movies. Captain Jack Aubrey of the British Navy is tasked with hunting the French ship, Acheron, in the seas off South America. It’s a tense time, as Napoleon has conquered much of Europe, and England alone stands against him. 

In one of the most famous lines from the movie, Captain Aubrey movingly says, “England is under threat of invasion, and though we be on the far side of the world, this ship is our home. This ship IS England.”

I hesitate to mention how many times I have seen this movie, but know that I can quote large sections of the dialogue. But as I have repeatedly watched the movie, its lessons sink deeper and deeper into my soul. Jack Aubrey is a courageous, levelheaded, compassionate, fearsome leader. He is the best of what men can be. He’s a strong and forceful leader, a teacher, friend, and disciplinarian. He’s a man of the arts and of books, and a student of his craft. And when called upon, he’s a fierce warrior who holds nothing back. 

Here are some lessons I’ve taken from Captain Jack Aubrey, the Master and Commander …

1 - Good leadership takes a team. 

The movie opens with Aubrey’s ship, the HMS Surprise, sailing through thick fog when they suddenly encounter the enemy, and a battle quickly ensues. It’s early morning, and no one is prepared, but the task arises nonetheless. And in the blink of an eye, Captain Aubrey’s team goes to work. Every man owns his position, calls out his orders, and makes the crew ready to respond. It is clear that Captain Aubrey had prepared himself and his men for moments like these. There’s no way he could have given all the necessary orders and directions, and he had prepared his leadership team for just such a moment. And when the pressure set in, Aubrey and his men answered the call.  

Good leaders don't work alone. Good leadership takes a team. 

2 - Good leadership requires training and preparation. 

That opening scene of the movie indicates that Aubrey’s crew was well-trained. Those men had been trained and prepared and they knew what to do in the moment of action. In naval warfare, especially during the Napoleonic era, engagements were few and downtime was plentiful, and Aubrey had made use of the downtime to prepare his men. 

Good leaders train their people for when the action comes; they take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves, and they prioritize preparing their people.  

Good leaders train and prepare. 

3 - Good leaders are controlled under pressure.  

Throughout the movie, Aubrey and his crew engage in a number of stressful situations: Battles with the enemy, sea storms, injuries, and relational difficulties with the crew. And as with any person, Captain Aubrey experiences a range of emotional responses: Stress, anxiety, fear, pain, and anger. And yet, Aubrey also knows that his position demands self-control and measured response. In the heat of battle, he’s forceful, clear, and brave. When faced with a discipline issue, he calmly, yet forcibly, holds the line. Around the dinner table with his crew, he is personable and jolly. And when comforting a young injured sailor, he is kind and compassionate. 

Aubrey reminds us that good leaders are controlled under pressure; pressure of all kinds. They assess the situation, measure their response, and seek the good of those under their care. 

4 - Good leaders train multiple generations simultaneously. 

This is one of the movie's more striking elements, and it impresses me more and more each time I watch it. Captain Jack Aubrey commands the HMS Surprise. He stands alone as the supreme leader of his ship. He’s put in his time, earned his rank, and now stands in charge. And yet, he is constantly engaging, shaping, training, equipping, and deploying other leaders at various stages of development. 

Aubrey has, what we might call, a senior leadership team around him: A co-captain, a sailing master, and other senior officers who help him run the ship. But there is also a group of younger men, from 30 down to 8 or 9. And Aubrey is just as engaged with training these young leaders as he is anywhere else. He understands the value of mature leaders being involved in training and preparing those coming behind them. 

In one scene, one of the junior officers asks the Captain about something the crew is building, to which Aubrey responds, “It’s your first command.” Leadership has to be learned and passed on, and it is best learned in small increments under the watchcare of more seasoned leaders. Captain Aubrey understood that. 

Good leaders train multiple generations simultaneously. 

5 - Good leaders demand respect and hold others to account. 

One of Aubrey’s officers, a midshipman named Hollom, struggles mightily with self-esteem and has little respect from the ship’s rough crew. In one scene, Hollom is openly disrespected and does nothing about it. Captain Aubrey witnesses the event and immediately addresses the situation. He privately confronts Hollom about his inaction and personal fear, encouraging him yet rebuking him, while also having the offender publicly disciplined to uphold the law of his ship. 

In private, Captain Aubrey says to Hollom, “Look, Hollom, it's leadership they want. Strength. Find it within yourself and you will earn their respect. Without respect, true discipline goes by the board.”

Good leaders demand respect and hold others to account. 

6 - Good leaders have to make difficult decisions. 

The movie is full of difficult decisions. Captain Aubrey has to make decisions on the well-being of his men, the success of his orders and mission, order and respect on board the ship, feed the crew, medical emergencies, nagivation, peril, and more. 

Leaders understand that leadership beings hard decisions. 

7 - Good leadership often requires sacrifice. 

This is tough lesson for anyone in any leadership position. There are times when the burden of leadership requires tough decisions, and sometimes, those decisions mean sacrificing something dear. Leaders are often confronted with hard choices, and the higher the level of leadership, the harder the choices tend to be. 

In one scene, the Surprise is caught in a nasty sea storm, and one of the ships masts snaps, sending one of the crewmen into the sea along with part of the ship. The broken prince immediately begins to drag the ship underwater, acting as a sea anchor. Captain Aubrey has to make a split-second decision with painful consequences. Will he wait for the stranded sailor who may or may not make it back to the ship while the wreck threatens the only 200 souls on board, or will he cut it loose, saving the ship, but damning the sailor? 

In a split second, Captain Aubrey makes the call to cut the wreckage loose and save the ship. The sailor is lost to the sea, but the sacrifice saves the crew. 

In another scene, Captain Aubrey has to sacrifice a promise made to his friend because the duty and burden of leadership demand otherwise. Speaking to his friend, Aubrey calmly, yet firmly states, “If wind and tide had been against us, I should have said yes. They're not. I'm obliged to say no.”

Leadership often requires sacrifice. 

8 - Good leaders care for the needy and the weak. 

The pressures of leadership demand much, but a good leader never overlooks the weak and vulnerable under his care. Captain Jack Aubrey is a man’s man: A sea captain, expert sailor, warrior, accomplished violinist, well-read, and stern. And yet, he is also patient, kind, and concerned for the vulnerable. 

In one scene, one of the young midshipmen loses his arm in a battle and Aubrey takes the time to visit with him, encourage him, and gifts him a book. In another scene, Captain Aubrey’s friend is wounded and needs special care. The Captain recognises the need of the moment and interrupts his plans to care for his wounded friend. 

When he notices one of his officers struggling with self-worth, he pulls him into his quarters to encourage him privately. 

Good leaders care for the needy and the weak. 

9 - Good leaders are good learners.  

I think we can often assume that once someone reaches a senior level of leadership, they stop learning. But, this is anything but true. In fact, we might say that senior leaders, in any arena, must be the best students. Every good leader remains a committed student. 

Captain Aubrey is an accomplished seaman in the King’s Navy; he’s been on ships since he was a boy. He’s a master tactician and hardened warrior, but in one scene, Captain Aubrey is examining a small insect one of his young sailors found. And in that moment, Captain Aubrey learns something valuable about naval warfare from the bug in front of him. 

Captain Aubrey shows us that good leaders are always open to learning. He takes the lesson, applies it to his leadership, and ultimately wins the day. Good leaders are always open to learning and growing. 

10 - Good leaders maintain flexibility. 

This one is particularly difficult, especially for committed and driven leaders. So often, those in leadership see the goal or destination and see the path to get there. But good leaders maintain flexibility, knowing that interruptions come and plans do not always go as hoped. 

There are numerous times throughout the story when Captain Aubrey has to adjust on the fly. He is unexpectedly confronted by the enemy in the early morning hours; he has to refit and repair his ship off the coast of South America in stead of sailing home; some of his vital crew members die; supplies run out; the enemy doesn’t play by the rules, and so on. 

Captain Aubrey is a perfect example of how good leaders maintain flexibility in their leadership, knowing that adjustments will need to be made as things go along. Inflexible leaders quickly prove to be ineffective leaders. 

Master and Commander is a wonderful movie, one of my all-time favorites, and is vastly underrated in the Russell Crowe library. Nonetheless, the story itself provides numerous lessons in leadership and is worth our attention.