SAFETY4SEA Log Issue 22

62 I SAFETY 4SEA log I January 2018 I ISSUE 22 safety4sea.com BOOK REVIEW T he consequences of leadership failure at merchant ships are often deadly. ‘Golden Stripes – Leadership on the High Seas’ is a comprehensive action plan for mari- ners, illustrating how proper leadership is related to safe ship operations. In particular, the book is a practical guide suggesting ways to bridge trai- ning gaps in order seafarers to acquire the appropriate skills in line with safety procedures. Written by a mariner, it provides advice to mariners highligh- ting the importance of leadership at sea through a combination of inspirational stories, quotes, practical tools and personal experience. It also clusters international acclaim from great leaders in the field of aviation, human factors, safety management and leadership, inspiring and encour- aging its readers to follow suit. The author uses a balanced mix of maritime examples deriving from well-known cases, as well as inspirational insights from his own experience, to show how mariners fail or succeed. The book can help readers identify how to run a ship, in the whole context of communicating with a team, implementing safety leadership and deciding effectively in emergency situ- ations. The aim is to demonstrate that developing one’s soft skills is equally important; and combining them with the right knowledge and attitude, one can make the difference. “Understanding is the first step to successful risk management and safety leadership”, the author under- lines. The book demonstrates that an effective leader needs to practice on such qualities as motivation, passion and commitment. The readers will find it skillfully applied to a variety of daily situations and be inspired on how to enhance expertise, communicate with others and decide effectively. The book, which offers an in-depth study of the human element, unveils that most failures at sea can be attributed to failures in leadership. Providing lessons learned applicable to merchant shipping, as well as to other industries for self-development, the book is a ‘must-read’ for everyone working at sea, but also anyone who wants to ‘lead’ and learn the basics of leadership wisdom. Golden Stripes: Leadership on the High Seas Author: Capt. V. S. Parani Publisher: Whittles Publishing Publishing date: May 2017 Hardcover: 192 pages Website: www.parani.org More than just a book for ‘High Seas’ Author’s comment: ‘’Merchant ships carry 90% of the world’s trade but the men who run them have little leadership trai- ning. The result is disasters such as the Exxon Valdez, the Costa Concordia and the Rena. The purpose of this book is to equip mariners with the mindsets, tools and skills of leadership for safety and success at sea and to engage and inspire seafarers every day’’.