What makes an outstanding leader?
Early in 2006 I wrote this in my weekly e-mails:
Last time I wrote to you I said I expected to learn a lot during the week, as I had been booked to speak on the Seven Seas Voyager World Cruise. (see http://www.rssc.com/) And learn a lot I did! But I really didn’t expect to experience such an incredible leader!
I have made a study of great leaders. People like Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi to name a few. But I’ve never read about or experienced the loyalty I found aboard the Seven Seas Voyager. The loyalty was directed towards the Ship’s Captain. Had I, at any stage, chosen to make a derogatory remark about the Captain to any passenger or crew member I believe I would have been keelhauled or challenged to a duel at dawn! WOW!
“How did the Captain weave this kind of magic?” was the question on my mind.
“Does it have anything to do with being on a ship?” I wondered
“Why have I never experienced this ‘magic’ on land?” I pondered.
I believe I know some of the best Hotel General Managers in the world and I’ve introduced you to some of them in my e-mails to you...but
I’ve never seen customer loyalty like this before. So I sought (and had) a meeting with the Captain to discover his secret.
Unfortunately, I need a lot of space to tell you about
Captain Dvergastein. Far more that I allow in these weekly ‘compressed message’ e-mails. But, I am writing an article about him. I’ll advise when it’s ready and where you can read it on the Net before it gets published.
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In 2007 my latest book
"Heading North" will be released. I've been commissioned to write the book for the
Orion Hotel Group of Schools (see http://www.orionhotelschools.com/) around the world. I have included the story of Captain Dvergastein in the book. Here it is:
This Captain cast a spell 
Dag Dvergastein is the Captain on the Regent Seven Seas Voyager Cruise Ship. I was invited to be a guest lecturer aboard his ship. I had never spoken on a ship before. And, when I was booked to speak in the ship I remember being told
“This ship is ‘6 star’ and this is as good as it gets. Any other ship you may speak on in the future will be down hill from here!” 
As you know a lecturer is there to speak, to educate to entertain and dispense knowledge. By the audience participation and acclamation I knew I had done that when I had completed my assignment.
But the ‘real learning’ was yet to take place. For I had observed something on this ship I had never ever witnessed before. The entire ship’s population of seven hundred guests and four hundred crew absolutely worshipped the Captain. And, even though, I had but only seen him from afar, I felt the same way.
“Why?” I thought.
“What was this aura this man had?” I have witnessed hotels and other businesses where staff would ‘lay down their lives’ for the General Manager or the owner. But Captain Dag had taken this to a new level. Not only did the crew feel this way. He had cast this same spell over the passengers (the customers).
WOW!....and more importantly HOW? I had to discover his ‘secrets’. The first 'secret' I noted on the first 'formal' night on the ship. On these evenings all the passengers were invited to **cocktails in the passage ways** prior to the eveming commencing.
The purpose of this evening was for the passengers to meet their near neighbours. It was a wonderful idea and cocktails lasted for about thirty minutes. But, lo and behold the Captain came strolling though our passage way on his way to dinner. I was impressed as he was meeting and greeting all his passengers as he passed through. I thought
"Wow aren't we lucky to be in the passage way that the Captain walked through on his way to dinner." And I later found out he made a point of walking through every passage way on the ship...on his way to dinner! I had to find out more about this innovative leader.
So I sought an interview with the Captain. Within hours I found myself in the wheelhouse (almost steering the ship!) with Captain Dag. His welcome was warm as he shook my hand and told he was really pleased to meet me.
“I’ve heard so many good things about your sessions from my passengers” he said.
“Tell me about yourself.” And again I thought
WOW…look at what he has just done. He’s was the ‘star’. I was there to interview him. Yet, he has immediately turned the spotlight back on me and made me feel ‘super’ important.
But I was there to learn about him. I did not want to waste a minute talking about myself. What other tricks did this magician have? How do I regain the position of ‘being in charge’ of this interview?
“Captain” I said
“May I give you a copy of one of my books. When you get a moment you can read all about me. But I’m here to talk about you. I really want to know how you achieve the total loyalty from your crew and your passengers I have observed.” With a broad smile this tall, tanned sailor told how he was born in the small Norwegian fishing village of Nevlunghavn where his family has lived since 1500. He told of his passion for the sea. He told how proud he was to be the Commander for this new flagship for Regent Seven Sea Cruises.
On board were four hundred and forty five crew from thirty six countries. He told how every single one of them is important to him and to the efficient running of the ship. If any one of them has a problem they can’t solve or handle they know his door is always open.
“
OK” I said.
“I can understand how this access to the Captain can create incredible loyalty. But how do you achieve this with the passengers?” (Remember this was a very expensive and luxurious Cruise Ship. Many of the passengers were super wealthy people. I’m quite sure quite a few could buy the ship out of ‘petty cash’.)
“Max” he said as he smiled broadly.
“Naturally my door is also always open to our passengers. And, for them, I try to do things a little bit differently. And, in doing this, I’m aware that sometimes I might bend the rules a little. But I’ve always thought I would rather ask for forgivness than permission.”
“For example, I sometime stop fishing boats and offer to buy their day’s catch so we can have it for dinner that night. Over the public address system I tell everyone what we are doing. They all come up on deck to watch the negotiations between the Chef, the Purchasing Officer and the fisherman.” "I tell them to put on a good show. They will look at some of the catch and throw some of them back into the water. For we only want the best for our passengers. I describe what is happening over the public address system as it is happening. Recently we bought lobsters. That night absolutely everyone onboard dined out on lobsters. The passengers, in turn, talk about it to their friends and create great word of mouth publicity for the company.” “Another time, on the high seas, we spotted a yacht in the distance with a couple aboard sharing an idyllic time. I sent one of our boats to surprise and greet them. Can you imaging their surprise when our boat pulled up along side with a waiter carrying a bottle of French champagne for them with the compliments from all on board our ship.” “And, of course, while all of this was going on I was explaining what was happening to the passengers. And again they were all up on deck and were delighted to wave to the couple as we passed by.” "This was an incredible man I was interviewing" I thought. Yet everything he was doing was simple. It was something that can be copied. He loved the sea. He loved his ship. He showed deep respect and caring for his crew and he realised the value of ‘entertaining’ his passengers.
Each morning over the PA system he would give his position report. This segment was written about in the daily ships news sheet. They referred to it as Captain Dag’s Words of Wisdom. Or as the Captain pronounced it
Vords of Visdom. And all I can say is
WOW, what a man, what a leader!
