We are at the halfway point in our series with episode 6 of our podcast. Having hurdled over some interesting topics from social responsibility to customer experience, this time we tackle leadership. With help from a very special guest, Paul Raisbeck, a former commanding officer in the Royal Navy, we discuss the tension between dynamic and planned leadership. Read on to find out more.
A commanding view on leadership
Paul had a long career in the Royal Navy, qualifying as a specialist in diving and bomb disposal and as a warfare officer but remembers his time as commanding officer of a new ship as the culmination of his career. He has also worked as a project manager, delivering IT and Naval projects at scale. Paul also supported a charity that provides assistance and support for those with motor function difficulties for many years.
Finally, before moving into his current life in leadership development and corporate training, he was second in command at the Defence Diving School, where all UK military divers are trained.
Defining leadership
Paul quickly alludes to one of the defining challenges of leadership – how to define it. With one academic study identifying 1,400 different definitions, it is far from easy. Paul thinks of leadership as “something fundamentally contextual” and cites a few things that need to be present for leadership to take place. These are:
- A leader, or someone with responsibility to a higher authority, with responsibility to achieve an outcome or an aim;
- A task or an aim to deliver;
- People who need to be activated in supporting that leader to achieve those aims.
Paul is emphatic about the contextual nature of leadership and the flexibility required with changing circumstances. He suggests that leadership should never be static and that is has to continually adapt to the situation and the data available.
Dynamic v planned leadership styles
All leadership encompasses elements of dynamic or unplanned leadership and planned or strategic leadership. Paul refers to Daniel Goleman’s Six Leadership Styles and outlines how a leader has to continually shift between the different styles, highlighting how shifts need to occur in different circumstances ranging from the day to day to immediate crisis. Paul also cautions that if “authoritarian leadership is used all the time, it loses its power”. The degree to which a leader is able to shift between the use of styles – identifying the most appropriate – is also subject to the leader’s emotional intelligence.
React, change or transform?
One thing that is common throughout our discussion is the need for clarity on what the aims are for the organisation. Additionally, there needs to be an understanding of the need for flexibility and the freedom to respond to changing circumstances whilst still focusing on and supporting the overall aim.
Paul refers to “the courage of leadership” as the leader’s willingness to accept – and take ownership of – changes to their original plan based on changes to the situation and emerging data. Furthermore, he cautions against trying to “make a shift not sound like a shift” as can sometimes be the case. This evokes the quote from General Dwight Eisenhower in that “The supreme quality of leadership is integrity”.
Communicating to boots on the ground
It is informative and helpful to apply military and Royal Navy insight into leadership and communication. In the context of Operation Pitting, the evacuation of Afghanistan, Paul refers to the leadership model as “centralised intent with decentralised execution.” Although not involved in this huge and successful undertaking, Paul suggests that, having been given an overall aim, different levels of the assigned forces would have developed their own tactical plans and been continually asking themselves, “Is what I am doing here supporting the aim?” as the situation on the ground unfolded.
Paul adds that this centralised intent with decentralised execution would have reduced the need for “long screwdrivering” (micro-managing) from London, allowing those on the ground to react quickly in the best way possible in support of the aim.
Paul and Steven also discussed the need to balance long term aims with short-term emerging crises, talking about the need to continually review the use of assets in the context of both the long term and short-term requirements.
Clarity of communication key to dynamic leaders
One theme that repeats over and over is clarity. This helps to cut through the complexity and keep a focus on the current goal. Both the military and corporate world share huge complexity and that makes communication in a crisis crucial to avoid chaos.
Steven refers to an example of British Telecommunications providing the communication and broadcast capability for the London 2012 Olympics. He suggests that there appeared to be an initial ‘inertia’ after the announcement to taking part in ‘sprints’ and ‘scrums’ in the final 18 months. Steven posed the question of how a large corporation could have stood up the communication and broadcasting capability if they only had 4 weeks as opposed to 2-3 years.
Paul answers with reference to his opinion on Operation Pitting, saying that, while there was only a couple of days between the Cabinet Office saying ‘go’ and people arriving in Kabul, a lot of formal and informal planning and discussion will have taken place at all levels as soon as the prospect of the operation arose. Commanders at different levels will not have waited to be told before starting their planning processes.
Planned leadership learnings
When the discussion moved to what the corporate world might learn from the military, Paul cited an Investors In People study from 2018. In that study, 68% of respondents described themselves as ‘accidental leaders and managers’, having been put in a senior position with little or no formal training or support. Furthermore, 50% also reported they had left previous jobs due to poor leadership and management. This lack of leadership development is a self-fulfilling prophecy contributing to poor leadership and increased employee turnover.
In contrast, Paul explains how the lowest grade of junior sailor – with only 2-3 years’ service in the Navy – undergoes a 3-week leadership training programme before gaining their first promotion. And, throughout their subsequent career, they will undergo further training to continually improve their leadership skills.
Leading by example
So, we round off by saying a huge thank you to Paul for offering his thoughts on leadership and for being such a good sport. It was a fascinating topic that surely deserves a follow up. If you are thinking about change and transformation within your team, why not call us on 01565 632206. Alternatively, email us at sales@think-beyond.co.uk and we will call you back.
Finally, if you loved episode 6, why not give episode 5 a listen about the many hats that the Chief Marketing Officer has to wear.
To listen to the podcast, you can check it out on Anchor, Google and also Spotify. Simply follow the links below so you can tune in.
