HISTORY IS NOT LEARNED IN TWO DIMENSIONS: The Vikings have long been regarded as fearless voyagers. Chapter VIII, The Vikings, defines their courage as "boldness of spirit" (Mawer 98). Author Allen Mawer uses this label because the Vikings regularly sailed across "uncharted" waters, relying solely on the "sun and stars" for help navigating (98). Mawer writes, "Boldness of seamanship led to boldness in exploration. From Iceland the Vikings sailed to Greenland, and by the year 1000 had discovered Vinland, the N.E. part of North America. Ottarr rounded the North Cape and sailed the White Sea in the 9th century, while Harold Hardrada in the 11th century made a voyage of Polar exploration" (99). Developments in the Viking Longship took place between the 9th and 13th centuries (Chartrand 142). The chapter, “The Viking Longship,” from The Vikings: Voyagers of Discovery and Plunder, details the basic engineering of a Viking Longship. An interesting note shared is that these ships were built from massive oak trees; to this day there are minimal comparable oak trees remaining in the Viking homelands due to how many ships the Vikings constructed during their time (Chartrand 154). Another interesting detail shared in this chapter is that surviving coins from the Viking era allow people today to see what the Longships looked like (Chartrand 145). This chapter shows how committed the Vikings were to conquering the sea. The Viking Longship is credited often in The Age of the Vikings. Its remarkable speed, for instance, is well documented by author Winroth (71). Readers also learn how strategic the Vikings were, as they knew full well their advantage at sea and did not hesitate to maximize it (Winroth 71). Cited in Chapter 2, "Roman and Greek Accounts of the Northman," are accounts that reflect a tone of marvel as the Vikings ships are documented in great detail. An provided is one that notes how the prows were very much elevated, as also the sterns, so as to encounter heavy waves and storms" (Du Chaillu). What should not be missed in these accounts is the observation that the Vikings ships were masterfully engineered to withstand the challenges presented by both nature and war. Author Zori writes the most telling line about the Vikings: "The story of the Vikings is one of voyages" (1). Details in Zori's work are the result of careful investigation into Viking tradition, art, and artifact. Confirmed throughout is the view that the Vikings earned their reputation for being a bold, warlike people. Zori shares how, in fact, even the timeline for the Viking Age begins with battle: a monastery raid in 793 (4).
REAL COURAGE IS WHERE ONE GOES: Inventions greatly serve the human spirit. Witnessing successful technologies gives people hope that they can achieve more in their everyday lives. They can tackle challenges they would not have otherwise been able to tackle. A lesson for leaders, then, is to never ignore possibilities with new technologies. Virtually all obstacles in life can be fronted by human ingenuity. Obstacles are invitations to invent.
Examining the Viking Longship more closely outlines an invention strategy others can rely on. The first lesson is to work with what one already knows. Rather than start from nothing, one should always start from something. Look at other solutions that have already been tested and try to add to those solutions. A second lesson is to simplify. Rather than try to do too much with the existing technology, one should attempt to refine that existing technology. One should look to adjust as few things as possible. It is easy to be overwhelmed with inventing, so limiting one's steps is paramount to success. A last lesson is to have courage with testing at least one thing that is relatively unique. Try to be original in one adjustment. One finds in the Viking's use of a sail originality. This was their attempt to be unique. Inventions greatly serve the human spirit. Witnessing successful technologies gives people hope that they can achieve more in their everyday lives. They can tackle challenges they would not have otherwise been able to tackle. A lesson for leaders, then, is to never ignore possibilities with new technologies. Virtually all obstacles in life can be fronted by human ingenuity. Obstacles are invitations to invent.
ONE SHOULD REFUSE TO LEAD FROM AN EMPTY ROOM: The Viking explorations show people how to navigate natural dangers with courage, intelligence, and innovation. Courage is always a precursor to action. Without courage, without a spirit of risk-taking, people gain little. Nature can be formidable; it takes courage to risk everything against natural elements. However, courage alone is not the sole consideration one should make when fronted by the many challenges the natural world poses. Intelligence is equally important. It takes a bold individual to attack natural dangers with rebellion, but it takes both boldness and intelligence to be successful when facing natural dangers. The third element to needed to successful front natural dangers is innovation. One must adapt new technologies, such as the sail on the Viking Longship, to successfully navigate natural dangers. The combination of courage, intelligence, and innovation are paramount for helping people explore new challenges in the natural world. This is the point of inspiration that Viking explorations serve.
