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January 02, 2021

Empowering teams to deliver in extreme environments: David Hartshorn: Inspiring Leadership interview with Jonathan Bowman-Perks

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A strong advocate of an “active leadership” style, utilising members in decision making whenever possible. He believes that teams have the ability to overcome overwhelming odds, because if you invest in team members they deliver beyond expectation.

Clipper Round the World Skipper Developing teams in extreme environments

David has had leadership roles within the Parachute Regiment, as Platoon Commander, numerous command positions in the Metropolitan Police Service and more recently over 3 Editions of the Clipper Round the World Race, where he has Skippered 3 Teams. As a police officer, he represented the MPS at COBRA, served as the Chief of Staff for the Public Order Branch and was the Deputy Operational Commander for the policing of the London 2012 Olympics.

His passion is forming teams and seeing them thrive, whilst dealing with fast, dynamically changing situations. A strong advocate of an “active leadership” style, utilising members in decision making whenever possible. He believes that teams have the ability to overcome overwhelming odds, because if you invest in team members they deliver beyond expectation. David gets to know his team members, so he understands their drivers and skills/interests outside the current task. His principles are to: motivate, empower and coach individuals. The four building blocks for a dynamic team are: Trust, Empathy being Accomplished and an agreed Mission.

David Hartshorn, Empowering teams to deliver in extreme environments.

A familiar face for followers of the Clipper Race, experienced Race Skipper David Hartshorn returns for the 2019-20 edition. This will be the third edition of the Clipper Race that David has been involved in. Having taken part in the 2015-16 edition as crew on Leg 6, The Mighty Pacific, he then fulfilled the goal of becoming a Race Skipper in the 2017-18 edition.

Since the conclusion of the last edition, David has continued his second career as an RYA Sailing Instructor. As part of this he has also been involved in coaching future Race Crew as a Clipper Race Training Skipper, most recently overseeing the latest Level 4 training of Clipper 2019-20 Crew.

Looking at his qualifications and experience, many would be surprised to learn sailing is a second career for David Hartshorn.

David, 54, was born and raised in Wales and spent three decades serving in the Police Force. After beginning his career in 1984 as a Constable with the Gwent Constabulary, David retired as a Superintendent with the Metropolitan Police Service in 2014. His distinguished career included serving as the Met Police Public Order Branch Chief of Staff with responsibility for public order, and overseeing the planning and resourcing of major events such as the 2011 Royal Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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