Ernest Shackleton
Intro
Stuck for about 20 months amidst the ice in Antarctica in the mid-1910s without any communication tools or resources beyond the journey's immediate necessities, Ernest Shackleton, who was leading the expedition, didn't despair. Instead, he focused on keeping the morale of his crew high. He joked with them. He had them celebrate holidays and birthdays and conduct science research. They played sports, held singing competitions. The latter was for who had the worst voice. Ernest won.
Eventually, he led them all home. Everyone survived.
The story is considered one of history's most outstanding examples of leadership. And Ernest is arguably one of history's greatest leaders. As one crew member said, when describing four famous explorers,
"For a joint scientific and geographical piece of organization, give me Scott; for a winter journey, Wilson; for a dash to the pole and nothing else, Amundsen; and if I am in a devil of a hole and want to get out of it, give me Shackleton every time."