Command Leadership and Management
1
COMMAND LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
MARCH 2012
NEWCASTLE
SLIDE 1 INTRODUCTION
Salutations:
As an ex soldier I come from a culture where leadership is key to achieving success. In the Army leadership is taught, expected and rewarded. SLIDE 2 LEADERSHIP IS EARNED
The other side of the equation is that leadership is earned.
I often wondered why men and women keep going forward into battle risking life and limb.
It is not because they are ordered or forced to go there. It is because they are well led. They make a conscious decision to be part of a team and willingly go forward into battle. They follow a leader. This morning I want to give you a soldier’s perspective of the state of leadership in Australia today and talk about my ideas of what makes an ideal leader.
I will talk about command, leadership and management.
2
I will speak from a perspective which will emphasize the pride I have in what the Australian Army and what it has achieved throughout its history. These achievements have been based on great leaders at all ranks of the organisation.
Today many leadership theorists seem to combine leadership and management and elevate management above leadership. This is not the case in the Australian Army. Of course management is required but leadership is the most prized skill.
The myths and legends of the Army are built around great leaders, not great managers and soldiers aspire to be leaders rather than managers. If you say leadership to someone in the Army they will understand you to be talking about the art of influencing and directing people to achieve willingly the team or organisational goal.
They will understand you to mean that the essential task is to build a team based on trust, mutual respect and a desire to contribute to the achievement of an accepted and agreed mission.
Sounds like a prescription that is applicable to Australian business, industry, politics, families and the broader community in general.
COMMAND LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
MARCH 2012
NEWCASTLE
SLIDE 1 INTRODUCTION
Salutations:
As an ex soldier I come from a culture where leadership is key to achieving success. In the Army leadership is taught, expected and rewarded. SLIDE 2 LEADERSHIP IS EARNED
The other side of the equation is that leadership is earned.
I often wondered why men and women keep going forward into battle risking life and limb.
It is not because they are ordered or forced to go there. It is because they are well led. They make a conscious decision to be part of a team and willingly go forward into battle. They follow a leader. This morning I want to give you a soldier’s perspective of the state of leadership in Australia today and talk about my ideas of what makes an ideal leader.
I will talk about command, leadership and management.
2
I will speak from a perspective which will emphasize the pride I have in what the Australian Army and what it has achieved throughout its history. These achievements have been based on great leaders at all ranks of the organisation.
Today many leadership theorists seem to combine leadership and management and elevate management above leadership. This is not the case in the Australian Army. Of course management is required but leadership is the most prized skill.
The myths and legends of the Army are built around great leaders, not great managers and soldiers aspire to be leaders rather than managers. If you say leadership to someone in the Army they will understand you to be talking about the art of influencing and directing people to achieve willingly the team or organisational goal.
They will understand you to mean that the essential task is to build a team based on trust, mutual respect and a desire to contribute to the achievement of an accepted and agreed mission.
Sounds like a prescription that is applicable to Australian business, industry, politics, families and the broader community in general.