Developing Leaders in the British Army

Developing Leaders in the British
Army
Major General S R Skeates CBE
What is Leadership?
Leadership…is just plain you.
The capacity and the will to rally men (and women) to
a common purpose, and the character which will
inspire confidence
Now I think, speaking roughly, by leadership we mean the art
of getting someone else to do something that you want done
because he (or she) wants to do it.
Almighty God, whose son, the Lord of all life came not to be
served but to serve;
Help us to be masters of ourselves that we may be the
servants of others
And teach us to serve to lead…
The Collect of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Understanding Leadership
We may analyse leadership meticulously, like a chemical compound,
but we shall never extract its inner essence. There will always be
something which escapes us, for in leadership there is a tincture of
the miraculous.
I should define the miraculous element as a response of spirit to
spirit. There is in all men, even the basest, some kinship with the
divine, something which is capable of rising superior to common
passions and the lure of easy rewards, superior to pain and loss,
superior even to death. The true leader evokes this. The greatness in
him wins a response, an answering greatness in his followers…
…The task of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to
elicit it, for the greatness is already there.
John Buchan, University of St Andrews, 1930
Leadership References
Action Centred Leadership
Values and Standards
Task
Team
Individual
John Adair, 1968
Dimensions
Educati
on
Standard
Int
INTELLECTUAL
Intelligence
Rating
Communicatio
n Written
Analysis
&
Planning
PRACTICAL
Practic
al ability
Oral
Skills
Reactio
n to
Stress
Personalit
Interacti
y&
on
Interaction
Determinati
on

Physic
al ability
Character
PERSONALITY
PERSONALITY
& CHARACTER
Impact
PHYSICAL
Understanding Leadership
Cowardice
Courage
Careless
Insert Values spectrum
Disorder
Discipline
from Philip McCormack
Neglect
presentation
Ignorance
Disrespect
Deceit
Treachery
Selfishness
Narcissism
Respect for Others
Integrity
Loyalty
Selfless
Commitment
Recklessness
Obsessive
Pernickety
Overcritical
Unthinking
/Uncritical
Acceptance
Unimpeachable
Saintliness
Blind Obedience
Unthinking
Obedience
Personal
Indifference
Carelessness
Martyr
What lies beneath leadership?
‘It is not the case that torture always produces
false information…actually it’s clear that
torture can contribute to saving lives. But I
don’t think that’s the point. I think the point is
that it’s not something that is right, legal or
moral to do.’
Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller, Reith Lecture, 13th September 2013
Framing the Problem
Framing the Problem
War is a Bitch.
Army Leadership Code
Lead by Example
Encourage Thinking
Apply Reward & Discipline
Demand High Performance
Encourage Confidence in the Team
Recognise Individual Strengths & Weaknesses
Strive for Team Goals
CGS Foreword to ALC
Our Army needs to move with the times. The operating environment is increasingly uncertain, complex and
dispersed. Leadership has never been more challenging. This intent explains how we will meet this challenge in war
and in peace, with our approach to both being as similar as possible. It is to be read and practised by all soldiers at
every level.
Our war fighting doctrine is based on mission command. This is based on mutual trust between leaders and those
they lead. Leaders have a duty to provide the guidance, including resources and constraints that allow subordinates
to use their initiative and judgment. In return subordinates have a duty to act with loyalty and discipline. Trust is a
two-way process that is guaranteed by every soldier, whether leader or led, living our Values and Standards and
setting an appropriate example – it is about doing as you would be done by.
This is a culture that empowers all leaders at every level. It generates agility and tempo. This enables us to
overcome an enemy in the most chaotic and demanding circumstances. It allows us to unlock everyone’s potential
to seize winning opportunities, however fleeting. Leaders must empower their subordinates routinely because this
will give them the confidence to act boldly and independently on the battlefield. We must strive to maximise the
potential of all our soldiers and use their talent to help us win. This requires leaders to know those they lead, to
understand them, and to place the care of their subordinates at the forefront of all that they do. This means leaders
must tolerate risk and accept honest mistakes as a natural part of leader development. Micro-management and
over assurance has no place on the battlefield, and it must not be a feature in peacetime either. This is not about
encouraging soldiers to be reckless or to gamble; it is about accepting errors in the pursuit of calculated risk taking,
boldness and initiative.
I am committed to empowerment and mission command; I want to unlock the potential in every soldier – in return I
expect all soldiers to live by our Values and Standards, to approach every day with an open-minded attitude that
sees the potential in everyone, refuses to allow intolerance and unacceptable behaviour, and is committed to
seizing the opportunities that mission command offers. Remember that the standard you walk past - without taking
any action - is the standard you accept.
Understanding Leadership
The Primary Colours of Leadership
Setting Strategic
Direction
Planning and
organising
Creating
alignment
Leading
Delivering
Results
Team
working
Building and
sustaining
relationships
Pendleton & Furnham, 2012
Questions?