Be the DUCK
How the DUCK Philosophy Was Solidified in the Wake of Titan.
I didn’t sit down one day and decide to invent a leadership philosophy.
DUCK wasn’t born in a moment of crisis—it had been forming for years, shaped quietly by experience, preparation, and repetition. But it was in hat event that it was truly solidified.
In June of 2023, while serving as Expedition Manager and Mission Director during the Titan submersible accident with OceanGate, that way of leading was tested at the highest possible level. Five explorers were missing in the North Atlantic. Information was limited. Resources were finite. Pressure was global. The margin for error was nonexistent. Every decision mattered—and every emotion was amplified. Crew members, families, responders, and international partners all looked to me for clarity and direction.
There was no time to invent anything new. I fell back on how I had been learning to lead for years.
What carried us through those hours and days didn’t come from a book or a course. It came from some incredible mentors, preparation, discipline, and long-held resolve forged well before that moment—principles that DUCK now puts words to.
The Illusion of Calm
People often talk about “staying calm under pressure,” as if calm is something you either have or you don’t. What I learned is that calm is often an illusion—and that’s okay. It’s pretty normal to be freaked out when shit hits the fan.
Think about a duck on the water.
On the surface, it looks steady. Unbothered. Almost effortless. Cruising alone.
Under the water, its feet are moving like hell.
I kept that image forefront in my mind because it was exactly what leadership required in that moment. You don’t eliminate chaos. You manage how it shows up.
DUCK is a way to name that. Here’s how it works:
D — Dedicate Yourself to the Mission
In crisis, hesitation is contagious. So is commitment.
Dedication isn’t bravado. It’s a quiet, internal contract you make with yourself: I will see this through. Even when it’s uncomfortable. Even when the outcome is uncertain. Especially when people are looking to you for stability.
During Titan, there was no option to “check out” or pass on the responsibility. Dedication meant staying present through long nights, incomplete data, and impossible choices. Facing crew and the family members of those who were missing.
You don’t need all the answers to lead—but you do need resolve.
U — Unite the Team
Pressure doesn’t just fracture plans—it fractures people.
Everyone brings a different background, a different stress response, a different lived experience into a crisis. Leadership isn’t forcing uniformity; it’s creating cohesion.
Uniting the team meant meeting people where they were, listening without ego, and forming a bond that said: You’re not in this alone.
I think of it as a kind of a metaphysical hug—bringing people close enough that they can feel supported without being smothered.
Unity doesn’t remove fear—it gives fear a container.
C — Control the Environment
Control doesn’t mean domination. It means stewardship.
In high-stress situations, uncertainty spreads faster than facts. Loose threads, unanswered questions, and inconsistent messaging quietly erode trust. Control is about reducing unnecessary noise so the team can focus on what matters.
That meant slowing reactions, justifying decisions, and actively working toward real answers—even when those answers were hard. Really hard.
Control is kindness with structure.
K — Kindness Above All
This one surprised me the most.
Kindness isn’t soft. It’s stabilizing.
Every word you choose, every reaction you display, every decision you make becomes a signal. In crisis, people read those signals intensely. Kindness tells your team: You are seen. You are respected. We will move forward together.
Even when outcomes are grim, kindness preserves humanity—and humanity is what keeps teams functional when systems are strained.
Why DUCK Matters Now
DUCK isn’t about pretending everything is fine.
It’s about accepting that beneath the surface, things may be chaotic—and choosing to lead anyway.
It’s a philosophy forged in loss, pressure, and responsibility. One I carry into emergency medicine, expeditions, teaching, and everyday life.
Be the duck.
Paddle hard beneath the surface.
Stay steady above it.
BE THE DUCK
Keeping your shit together under pressure.
D — Dedicate
• Make a personal pact to stay present until the end
• Accept that highs and lows are part of the mission
• Endurance builds trust before words ever do
U — Unite
• Bring people together around a shared objective
• Meet people where they are — backgrounds and reactions vary
• Cohesion matters more than uniformity
C — Control
• Regulate the emotional temperature of the group
• Be the calm center — a metaphysical hug
• Presence and steadiness reduce chaos
• Close loops and reduce unknowns
K — Kindness
• Every action, reaction, and correction done with intention
• Preserve dignity under pressure
• Firm leadership does not require cruelty
Like a duck on the water, this model is about calm presence, quiet endurance, and intentional leadership beneath the surface. DUCK isn’t about dominance or bravado. It’s about commitment, cohesion, control, and conscience—especially when things are hard.