The Centre for Army Leadership Podcast

Episode 35 - ’Leading the British Army’ - Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Patrick Sanders, KCB, CBE, DSO

In this episode we speak to the Chief of the General Staff (CGS), General Sir Patrick Sanders, KCB, CBE, DSO, ADC Gen. Commissioned into the Royal Green Jackets (RGJ) in 1984, he served in Northern Ireland, Kosovo and Bosnia, before commanding the 2nd Battalion RGJ in 2005, where he managed their transition to become the 4th Battalion the Rifles, deploying with them to Iraq in 2007. In 2009, he commanded 20th Armoured Brigade, a role in which he deployed to Afghanistan to command Task Force Helmand in 2011. Subsequently, he served as the Chief of Defence Staff's Liaison Officer to the US Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2012, later becoming Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Operations) in the UK Ministry of Defence. Following his command of the 3rd (UK) Division in 2015, General Patrick assumed the role of Commander Field Army in 2016. He later took command of Joint Force Command (now Strategic Command) in 2019 and, in June 2022, became Chief of the General Staff and professional head of the British Army.

Episode 34 - Brigadier Rob Hedderwick - Leading the Army Special Operations Brigade

In the latest edition of the Centre for Army Leadership Podcast, we are joined by the Commander of the Army Special Operations Brigade, Brigadier Rob Hedderwick. Brigadier Rob talks to us about his role leading the brigade and their role in delivering persistent military assistance around the world. He talks to us about the democratisation of command and decision making within the brigade, highlighting how junior leaders are empowered and trusted to guide senior decision-making at the one and two start levels. To enable this, he highlights how leaders within the Ranger units must not only have the basic military skills to operate at reach, but they must also have the 'soft skills' to help build trust and relationships with partners from different cultures. More broadly, Brigadier Rob speaks to us about his personal leadership philosophy and the importance he places on not equating leadership with rank or position, instead valuing the collective experience and thoughts of a team.

A fascinating insight from the Commander of the Army Special Operations Brigade.

Episode 33 - Alastair Campbell -Strategy, Teamship and Mental Health

In this week’s episode, we speak to Alastair Campbell, a well regarded journalist, author, strategist, and broadcaster. He is best known for the roles he held during Tony Blair’s leadership of the labour party. Alastair was a central figure during Mr. Blairs time as prime minister, he was the Downing Street Press Secretary, Director of Communications and the Labour party's Campaign Director for the 2005 United Kingdom general election. In the episode, Alastair discusses strategy, leadership and teamship and unpacks these three factors by relating them to his own experiences in Downing street and as a writer. Alastair also talks openly about the impact of mental health and how pressure can become all consuming; highlighting how one needs to remove themselves from the work bubble to de-stress and detoxify. Finally, he speaks about the need to have a defined objective that guides your decisions and motivates the team. 

Episode 32 - Lt Gen Roly Walker DSO - Turning Good Leaders Into Great Leaders

In this week's episode, we speak to Lieutenant General Roly Walker DSO, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military, Strategy and Operations). General Walker gives an honest insight into his leadership philosophy. He unpacks three factors that he believes turns 'good leaders' into 'great leaders.' Firstly, he highlights the importance of trust and how it underpins 'Mission Command,' the British Army's command philosophy. He goes on to emphasise that a leader's role is to build trust within their teams, which, in turn, brings all elements of the team together. Second, he warns of the dangers of leaders working in isolation and how the best leaders harness their team's collective power by including them in the decision-making process. Finally, he speaks with real passion about the importance for leaders to know their people and the organisation they are working within, highlighting that getting into the DNA of an organisation allows the leaders to make informed decisions that are nested within the team's culture. 

THIS EPISODE WAS RECORDED PRIOR TO RUSSIA'S INVASION OF UKRAINE 

Episode 31 - Lt Gen Nick Borton DSO MBE - Leading within the Alliance

In this episode, we are joined by the Commander Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, Lieutenant General Nicholas R M Borton DSO MBE. General Nick speaks about his time in command and highlights the need for leaders at all levels to simplify complexity, highlighting that it gives junior leaders the understanding and context to execute plans. He speaks about mission command, the British Army's command philosophy, and the importance of trust as a bedrock for leadership. General Nick speaks with genuine passion and honesty about the need for organisations to train to the point of failure, as the best lessons are found in the aftermath. Finally, and as one would expect from the commander of a multinational headquarters, he speaks about the need and importance of having diverse military teams and how more often than not, the most junior person in the room may have the best idea.  

A fascinating interview with one of NATO's most senior military leaders. 

 

ARRC | Home (nato.int)

Episode 30 - The Psychology of Leadership - Dr Joanna Harvey

In this week's episode of the CAL Podcast we do a deep dive into the psychology of leadership by speaking to Doctor Joanna Harvey, the professional head of Occupational Psychology for the MOD. Joanna is a leading expert in applied psychology. Her notable areas of work include integrating women into dismounted close combat roles, support to the 'Executive Committee of the Army Board' on the psychology of strategic decision making, and the psychology of leadership in the British Army. We discussed with her the evolution of leadership theory through history and unpacked the current thinking on the importance of 'followership' and the need to harness your wider team's cognitive potential. Next, she speaks in detail about the importance of psychology in decision-making, discussing her work in helping support strategic decision-making within the British Army. Joanna speaks with real passion about the need for teams to engender a challenge culture but highlights the potential tension the British Army has in applying this philosophy due to the hierarchical and command-led structures we have. Finally, she speaks about the science of leadership and highlights that leaders' biological responses and risk thresholds will change dramatically through time and experience. 

A fascinating deep dive into the psychology of leadership. 

Episode 29 - Tim McEwan & Roderic Yapp - The Balanced Leader

In the latest episode of the Centre for Army Leadership Podcast, we are joined by Tim McEwan & Roderic Yapp. Tim and Rodd are both former military officers with operational service in a wide range of theatres. Since leaving the military, they have been working in the leadership development market, helping organisations to develop leaders by changing the way they think and behave. This interview unpacks why they believe leadership is all about behaviours and highlights the importance of self-awareness for leaders. Tim and Rodd speak with passion and sincerity about the importance of leaders understanding the context they are operating within and, most importantly, the people they are leading. As one would expect from the authors of 'The Balanced Leader,' they focus on the need to balance the needs of the task at hand with the broader team and the individual, drawing direct parallels with our very own Army Leadership Model.  

A brilliant listen for leaders at all levels. 

Episode 28 - SMA Wiremu Moffitt (NZ Army) and SMA Grant McFarlane AM (Australian Army) - ANZAC Day Special

In this special ANZAC day episode, we are delighted to talk to Sergeant Major of the New Zealand Army Wiremu Moffitt, and his counterpart Sergeant Major of the Australian Army Grant McFarlane AM. As one would expect from a podcast between three close allies, the importance of interoperability, shared values and trust between partners is discussed in length. They both talk passionately and openly about the importance of self-awareness and share with us how they both lacked this in their early careers, highlighting that young bravado masked their weaknesses as leaders. Next, they speak about the importance of culture and discuss leaders' role in shaping it. They emphasise that although leaders shape the culture, the symbiotic relationship between them means that the leader is also shaped and developed by the culture itself. Finally, they discuss the role history and traditions play in shaping today's leaders, and how, as their respective organisations move forward, they should never forget the past and those that have led before them. 

Warrant Officer Class One Wiremu Moffitt - New Zealand Defence Force (nzdf.mil.nz)

Regimental Sergeant Major – Army | Army.gov.au

Episode 27: Admiral (Retd) William McRaven: Making your bed and leading with integrity

In this week's Centre for Army Leadership Podcast episode, we have the honour to be joined by former 4* Admiral and Navy Seal Admiral William McRaven. Admiral McRaven's military career spanned an incredible 37 years, most notably commanding the Joint Special Operations Command, where he oversaw Operation Neptune Spear, the operation leading to the killing of Osama Bin Laden by Seal Team 6. In this candid interview, he speaks openly about his time on "the Teams" and shared personal anecdotes of where he failed — highlighting the importance of learning from failure, never quitting, and never shying away from the next hard decision when your previous one was wrong. In addition, Admiral McRaven speaks openly about the importance of followership and how leaders at every level in every organisation are a follower to somebody. Furthermore, he shared with us his leadership philosophy, shining a light on how "leadership is getting a job done with the people and resources you have while maintaining the reputation and integrity of the organisation." Finally, he talks about his world-famous 'make your bed' commencement address to the University of Texas and the values and thinking behind this iconic moment. 

Episode 26 - Simon Sinek: Leading within the ’Infinite Game’

In episode 26 of the Centre for Army Leadership Podcast, we are joined by world-acclaimed author and motivational speaker Simon Sinek. Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books and is best known for popularising the concept of 'WHY' in his first TED Talk in 2009, which rose to become the third most-watched on TED.com, with over 40 million views and subtitled in 47 languages. He gives us a passionate and personal insight into his inner thinking about leadership, highlighting that "leadership is nothing to do with being in charge; it is the awesome responsibility to those around you to help make them rise." Simon discusses the importance of trust, self-awareness and the need for all leaders to have a deep understanding of themselves. He tells us how the best leaders have the humility to be open about not knowing everything and transparent about their weaknesses. As a result, they engender a culture of trust and collaboration, which, in turn, drives sustainable results. Finally, he talks about how finite thinking and leadership will ultimately fail and how leaders must embrace 'infinite thinking' to achieve long-lasting success.  

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