Columbus

Historical Figure

15th-16th Century Spain/Italy

From The Life of Columbus: From His Own Letters and Journals and Other Documents of His Time by Hale, Edward Everett

"You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."

Known for: Discovery of the Americas and opening the Age of Exploration

travel exploration courage leadership vision

About Columbus

Role: Explorer and Admiral, determined to find a westward passage to the Indies.

Core Belief: Believes in the roundness of the earth and the possibility of reaching the East by sailing West, driven by faith and a desire to spread Christianity.

Worldview: Sees the world as a place of opportunity for discovery and conversion, believing he is destined to bring Christian light to new lands.

Debates featuring Columbus

Leadership & Crisis

The startup I founded just lost its primary funding source. We have four months of runway. My team of 12 took massive pay cuts to join me. Some have turned down other offers. They believe in the mission. I've been telling them we'll find new funding, but honestly, I'm not sure we will. The market has changed. VCs are skeptical. Every door I knock on closes. Part of me wants to admit the truth—that we might not make it—so they can start looking for other jobs. Part of me believes that if I do that, the team will fall apart and we'll definitely fail. How do I lead when I don't know if we'll survive? Do I protect my team from the truth or trust them with it? — Captain of a Sinking Ship in San Diego

80 votes

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