Section A: Personal Information
1. Have you spent more than 12 months consecutively at South African Antarctic or Sub- Antarctic station part of the South African National Antarctic Program? (i.e. overwinter or complete expedition)
Yes
No
2. Your current age category
Below 25
25 to 30
31 to 40
41 to 50
51 to 60
61 or older
3. Your gender
Male
Female
4. Number of expeditions for SANAP
1
2
3
4
5 or more
5. At which stations did you overwinter? (choose multiple where applicable)
Gough
Marion
SANAE
6. What year(s) did you overwinter? For multiple expeditions choose all years.
For expeditions to SANAE, choose the year you spent the most time in Antarctica.
For expeditions to Marion and Gough, choose the year you departed for the station.
1957 or earlier 1972 1987 2002
1958 1973 1988 2003
1959 1974 1989 2004
1960 1975 1990 2005
1961 1976 1991 2006
1962 1977 1992 2007
1963 1978 1993 2008
1964 1979 1994 2009
1965 1980 1995 2010
1966 1981 1996 2011
1967 1982 1997 2012
1968 1983 1998 2013
1969 1984 1999 2014
1970 1985 2000 2015
1971 1986 2001
7. Where you appointed as station or team leader during any of your expeditions?
Yes
No
For participants that only completed expeditions as station leaders: You may encounter questions that asks for a view from a team member perspective. Please answer these questions as if you were a team member under your own leadership.
8. Did you or your team experience any emergencies, evacuations, trauma or continuous and aggressive interpersonal conflict during your expedition?
Yes
No
Section B: Overwintering and leadership
9. In terms of personal interaction with team members, indicate on the scale of 1 to 5 what type of station leader is more effective.
Keeps a distance as far as personal relationships with team members are concerned.
Maintains a strong personal bond with team members.
10. In terms of the personal well-being of team members, indicate on the scale of 1 to 5 what type of station leader is more effective.
Allows team members to regulate their own emotional well- being.
Actively monitors and influences the well-being of team members.
11. In terms of the team climate at the station, indicate on the scale from 1 to 5 what type of team leader is more effective.
Allows the team climate to form independently without actively influencing it.
Makes an effort to create and sustain a positive team climate
12. As far as the professional duties of team members are concerned, indicate on the scale of 1 to 5 what type of station leader is more effective.
Maintains a low involvement and acts mostly in response to team members’
requests for support.
Maintains a strong involvement and strongly influences team achievement and expedition outcomes.
13. Please rank the following characteristics and competencies for a station leader from most important (1) to least important (13).
Trustworthiness Conflict management Empathy
Flexibility
Open to input from team members
Task-driven – clear on goals and what needs to be achieved
People-driven – care about well-being of team members and sensitive to individual needs Resilient
Comfortable to interact socially Ability to maintain discipline Decisiveness
Comfortable with diversity Good communicator
14. Are there any other characteristics that you feel are important for a station leader at a remote research station?
15. With which of the following station leaders would you the most comfortable with (choose only one).
I prefer that my station leader tells me what to do and I am happy to comply with decisions he / she takes.
I prefer a station leader who consults with me as part of the decision process on matters that affects the team, but retains final decision-making authority.
I am more comfortable if a station leader allows me to vote before decisions, that affects myself and the team, are taken.
I am comfortable if the station leader delegates decision-making authority to other experienced team members and share the leadership responsibilities.
Indicate on the scale from 1 to 5 to what extent you agree with the following statements.
1. Strongly disagree 2. Disagree 3. Neither agree nor disagree 4. Agree 5. Strongly agree
16. I am comfortable if a station leader makes decisions without consulting me.
17. When there is a problem at the station, the station leader should get the team together to discuss the solution.
18. I am comfortable with a station leader who wants to approve all station decisions.
19. A station leader must be open to opinions from the team members.
20. A station leader must punish bad behaviour and reward good behaviour
21. I am more comfortable with decisions when everyone in the team were allowed to give their input as part of the decision-making process.
22. A station leader must monitor the work output from team members and make sure they perform their tasks adequately.
23. I feel more committed to a decision when I was allowed to give input.
24. During emergencies, the station leader must retain decision-making autonomy.
25. The station leader plays a decisive role in the success of a Sub-Antarctic or Antarctic station.
26. The station leader/s affected my ability to adapt to life at the station.
27. The station leader/s influenced the quality of my overwintering year.
28. The station leader/s affected my decision to overwinter again.
29. Team members should be allowed to give input in their station leader appointment.
30. My Antarctic Program places a high emphasis on leadership qualities when appointing the station leaders.
This question is optional.
31. Do you have any views on special leadership qualities that a station leader requires in the unique Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic environments, which are not so prominent in a traditional business environment back in South Africa?
The End.
Thanks for your participation!