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Article – A Reflection on Leadership as a Career Soldier

Posted on December 6, 2017, Edited December 6, 2017 by Anthony Campbell

“Our people are expected to lead by example and maintain a high level of personal and professional integrity at all times. The Army is an exemplar in the
community, and is rightly held to higher standards than the rest of society. Therefore, we have a responsibility to always act in the best interests of ourselves and
the Australian people.” Australian Army Leadership 2016

The Department of Defence (2016) defines leadership as the process of influencing others in order to gain their willing consent in the ethical pursuit of missions. I
enlisted into the Australian Defence Force on 09 May 2000 and was allocated to the Royal Australian Armoured Corps as a cavalryman. As I have ascended
through the ranks, I have also conducted various leadership courses. Each of these courses forms a pre-requisite qualification for subsequent promotion to the
next rank. With each promotion, soldiers within my trade are introduced to additional leadership responsibilities. Successful performance leads to promotion and
further responsibility. The concept of promotion is similar to most private sector organisations in that leaders are assessed against their knowledge, experience,
qualifications and potential. Throughout my career I have achieved each training milestone and been assessed against my peers at each promotion gate. So far I
have been successful, however, there are numerous experiences and characteristics to reflect on and seek improvement.

This article provides a reflection on my journey as a leader throughout an 18 year career within the Australian Army. It includes a critical analysis of experiences
and situations I have encountered, and identifies different principles and practices that could be utilised to enhance my own personal and organisational leadership
skills. It also includes areas that could be improved as well as possible solutions.

Biography Part One – Leadership in its infancy

On promotion to Lance Corporal, I was employed in my first leadership role as an armoured fighting vehicle commander. To qualify for this role I was required to
undertake two separate leadership qualification courses which, upon successful completion, set the conditions for my employment as a commander. I was 23
years old and within three months of promotion I found myself in the desert of southern Iraq. In my newfound role I was responsible for my own safety and also
two members of my crew. Additionally I was responsible for the employment of a two million dollar armoured fighting vehicle within a hazardous environment.

Kirkpatrick & Locke (1991, p.50) argue that effective leaders not only require ambition and drive, they must also genuinely want to lead others. During that first
appointment I excelled in numerous areas. I possessed drive, ambition, knowledge, initiative and a strong leadership motivation to lead soldiers in combat.
However, these strengths encouraged a personalised power motive style of leadership. Magee & Langner (2008, p.1549) investigate the connection between
personalised power motive and anti-social decision making. This theory was proven through my early experience as a leader, particularly throughout that
deployment. Often I would make decisions in isolation, without any consultation with my subordinates. This methodology had potential to undermine the respect
that I had earnt from my team. Retrospectively, a better approach would have been a socialised power motive, utilising the strengths of the team collaboratively to
drive the decision making cycle. This approach provides team inclusiveness and mission ownership. Underpinning this is a clearly articulated vision with numerous
attainable ‘SMART’ goals. With further experience I have learnt that the most junior member of the team can identify the solution to a complex problem. Failure to
include the team in planning can result in the least viable course of action becoming preferred.

Biography Part Two – Fighting the Organisation

Upon return to Australia I was promoted to Corporal and six months later we commenced training to return to Iraq. I did not have to complete any further
leadership qualifications and was assessed as competent to be employed as a troop corporal. With this role came the additional leadership responsibility
incrementally passed on by virtue of the position. Once again the troop was deployed to Iraq. I was now employed as a genuine leader on the battlefield.

Kuhnert and Lewis (1987) discuss the transformational leadership theories of Burns (1978) and Bass (1985). They identify numerous similarities between
charismatic and transformational leaders. Transformational leaders need to impart their leadership skills onto subordinates, a theory suited to military
organisations as it encourages soldiers at all levels of command to put the needs of the organisation first. Bass (1985) defines a transformational leader as
someone that can motivate the team to accomplish more than they previously thought they were capable of. This is achieved through raising the level of
awareness and importance of strategic goals and means to achieve these goals. Transformational leaders also motivate the team to transcend their own self-
interest for the sake of the team, in effect, lowering an individual’s need levels on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

I developed transformational leadership skills, but struggled to fully implement this style. At the rank of Corporal, I was still heavily invested in my subordinates as
friends. This hindered my ability to be the conduit for strategic direction and values from the organisation to the soldiers. Being young and headstrong, if I did not
agree with strategic direction I was vocal in my contempt. In hindsight, blatant dissent towards senior decision makers was a toxic element within the team as it
encouraged deviancy to become normalised. It also clouded the strategic vision of the organisation. One particular issue was the use of personal protective
equipment. There were rules regarding the use of personal body armour when deployed on operations. These rules were interpreted differently by various teams
which could have cost lives or caused serious injuries. As military leaders we need to strictly enforce standards as they are intrinsically linked to saving lives. We
are also responsible for developing the leadership skills within the team. If there is a toxic leader at any level, the corner cutting becomes normalised to the next
generation of junior leaders. The colloquial ‘hard right over the easy wrong’ is always the path a leader should choose.

Biograpahy Part Three – Becoming a Leader

After the second deployment I was posted to Townsville and promoted to Sergeant. In my new role I was the second in charge of a team of 36 personnel and 18
protected mobility vehicles. My troop leader and I worked very closely together with any decision making. I was responsible for the training and personnel
management of the team. After conducting numerous training exercises and activities the troop deployed to Afghanistan. During this deployment I gained the most
experience as a leader. One task was a convoy escort totalling 53 vehicles of which I was commander of the advance guard. During the mission our fuel and
recovery vehicle were both destroyed by improvised explosive devices. In the advance guard, my infantry force element was in contact and four Australian soldiers
obtained blast injuries. Situations like this really tested my capacity to lead under pressure.

Miner (2005, p. 65) defines a good leader as being both transformational (leaders who engage with followers, focus on higher order intrinsic needs, and raise
consciousness about the significance of specific outcomes), and transactional (leaders who exchange tangible rewards for the work and loyalty of followers). He
also states that the worst are neither. Throughout my time in that leadership role I further developed my transformational leadership skills. I found the balance
between being proactive and passively monitoring the team. This position also afforded the opportunity to develop the leadership skills of my subordinates. As a
leader I became more cognisant of the organisational vision, goals and values. This led to clarity within my style and intent as a commander. I was also influenced
by numerous excellent leaders throughout that deployment.

A good leader needs to be able to place his/her own needs beneath the needs of the organisation and motivate the team to do the same. This is particularly
difficult when asking soldiers to put themselves in harms way. An example of this was the need to motivate my soldiers to conduct partnered patrols after an
Afghan National Army (ANA) member shot and killed three Australians. This was one of a number of similar incidents that resulted in injury or death. The conduct
of these patrols was an essential element of the strategic government plan. Failing to continue to operate with ANA soldiers would have significant political
implications. In this case I placed the strategic goals of the organisation above our own needs and fears and attained successful results.

Biography Part Four – Leadership Training and Mentoring

I am currently employed in a leadership/training role at the School of Armour as an instructor. We deliver training to potential crew commanders and troop leaders,
preparing soldiers and officers for their first leadership appointment. In the last two years I have trained approximately 50 of Army’s future leaders. Considering
that 19 of these personnel are now cavalry troop leaders, collectively they are responsible for approximately 300 soldiers. It is good to know the impact of my
instruction has an effect across the organisation.

George (2003, p. 12) describes leadership as being authentic, being yourself and the person you are created to be. An authentic leader needs to have strong
beliefs and be authentic to their team. I would assess myself to be an authentic leader, although, at times my own personal goals do differ from the organisation’s.
Retrospectively looking back during the early stages of my career, I strived to be a leader that I believed superiors or subordinates wanted me to be. This resulted
in having numerous personalities based on who I was working with at the time. To the soldiers I was one type of leader; to the superiors I was another. Over my
career I have managed to cease doing this in an effort to adopt a more authentic leadership style. I now realise that I do not have to impress everyone and
leadership is not about making friends within the team. It is about leading the team towards the strategic goals of the organisation through collaboration and
professional relationships.

Areas for Improvement

Communication is an essential element of leadership. As I have ascended through the ranks I have improved vastly as a speaker and leader. However, this has
been to the detriment of my skills as a listener. As I have acquired more responsibility I have found less time to listen to people. Realistically there is no reason
why I should not be able to give my undivided attention to someone and be an active listener. Improving my time management skills would allow for more in depth
conversations with my subordinates and trainees. Through active listening I will gain greater insight into the workability of plans and procedures, essentially
keeping my finger on the pulse. It is also an opportunity to gauge the wellbeing of the team. Identifying personal issues that may be affecting the balance of the
team as a whole will lead to increased synergy.

Another area of improvement is my ability to receive negative feedback. Humans generally do not respond well to criticism, particularly in a strong leadership
environment like military organisations. There is always a fear that criticism will lead to the identification of weakness. A way to approach this is delineating the
difference between constructive criticism and general criticism. Constructive criticism aims to seek improvement; general criticism does not achieve an outcome. A
characteristic of a good leader is someone who can accept constructive criticism for what it is and learn from it. It is important to use feedback as way to prompt
self-analysis and improvement. This feeds the continuous cycle of leadership evolution.

The third area I have identified is the need to be a more proactive authentic leader. Fostering a culture that instils the organisations core values and vision is the
key to success. This is a trait I have been developing over the last 18 years. Understanding the direction of the organisation and motivating soldiers and officers to
strive towards that direction is essential. Being able to deliver the unpopular decisions without any bias or contempt is an invaluable skill. There are always going
to be decisions and procedures that are unpopular. Understanding them and motivating the team to achieve the goal is important. Coupled with good
communication, it is a powerful tool that can be utilised to achieve excellent outcomes.

Conclusion

Ultimately, as leaders we should continuously measure our performance and effectiveness. This will allow us to tailor our style within an environment that
constantly evolves. Throughout my 18 years in the Army, I have observed significant procedural and cultural change. The key to remaining relevant is maintaining
vigilance of your own abilities. Military leaders need to possess the characteristics of flexibility and adaptability; analysing the situation and tailoring leadership
style to support the organisational direction. Combined with personal ethics and morals, we create a holistic worldview.

Leadership is a personal journey which is influenced by numerous factor, both internal and external to the organisation. As individuals we forge our own path and
use a mixture of knowledge and experience to develop our own style. Over my career I have combined a mixture of reading and observation to assist with this.
Professional development is an individual process and as leaders we reap the benefits that we sow.

We are responsible for building the future leaders of the Australian Army. We must ensure to impart the right messages and continue to develop and grow.

References

Australian Army: Our People, Our Values.

Department of Defence. (2016) The Defence Leadership Framework, growing leaders at all
levels.

George, B. (2004). Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the secrets to creating lasting value.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

George, W. (2007). True North: Discover your authentic leadership. Centre for business
ethics.

Hyatt, M. (2017). The 5 marks of authentic leadership influence matters, but it’s not the whole package.

Kotter, J. (1990). What Leaders Really Do. Harvard business review. May-Jun. 22-24

Kirkpatrick, S,. & Lock, E. Leadership: Do traits matter. Academy of management executive.
Vol 5, no 2.

Kuhnert, K., & Lewis, P. (1987). Transactional and Transformational Leadership: A constructive-developmental analysis. Academy of management review. Vol 12,
issue 4. 548-
657.

Magee, J., & Langner, K. (2008). How personalized and socialized power motivation facilitate antisocial and prosocial decision-making. Journal of Research in
Personality.Vol 42,
Issue 6, p. 1547-1559

Miner, J. (2005). Organizational Behavior: Essential theories of motivation and leadership.

New York. M.E. Sharpe

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8 thoughts on “Article – A Reflection on Leadership as a Career Soldier”

Matt DECEMBER 6, 2017 AT 7:27 PM

I have two areas of interest regarding your post, which I did enjoy reading. It is probably easiest to go through as you discussed them in the post, the first
being a leader making decisions in isolation.

1. I have had this discussion of group or team decision making being applied before, and my personal view is that it should be used as it provides the
benefits you discussed and in addition, exposes junior soldiers to a process that Army rarely expects them to be proficient for months or years into their
training; however, there will be a point where a teams lack of knowledge or experience would preclude from being involved in making a decision (for
example, trainee soldiers at the School of Armour). In your experience,

– would you attempt to always include the entire team in decision making?

– If no, is there any specific situations that you would discourage group decision making?

2. The second is regarding authentic leadership. You stated,

“I strived to be a leader that I believed superiors or subordinates wanted me to be. This resulted in having numerous personalities based on who I was
working with at the time.”

“leadership is not about making friends within the team. It is about leading the team towards the strategic goals of the organisation through collaboration and
professional relationships.”

My assumption is that your team and understanding of strategic goals has broadened over time as you have transitioned through the ranks from soldier to
commander/manager, working with bigger teams as a result. I think that as a result of those changes, it is inevitable to expect a change in leadership styles
shall occur, and that a military culture encourages that a separate leadership style will exist between subordinate-superior and superior-subordinate

– Does the military encourage a split leadership style? If so, is this acceptable for future leaders?

– Do you believe leadership styles should change as command and management responsibilities change?

– You have changed your style of leadership over time, in which direction did your style shift? Towards the leader of subordinates, or superiors, or a
combination? And what was factored into you making this decision?

Kudos for a well written and engaging post. You seem to have a good read on your own strengths and weaknesses in leadership, which would have taken a
lot of courage to place on record for anyone to look at.
REPLY

Tony APRIL 4, 2018 AT 1:00 PM

Good Afternoon Matt,

My apologies as I have been offline for a while settling into a new role. Here are some responses to your questions:
Firstly, I would always create an inclusive environment with team decision making. In the military this could range from a tactical mission profile to the
implementation of organisational or cultural change. Particularly through a transitional period, I think offering buy in to all members of the team really
reinforces ownership of the strategy or plan. The level of involvement would vary, noting that there would be time constraints and collaboration may not
always be an available option. The only times I would place a caveat on collaborative decision making would be when:
1. Time restricts the opportunity.
2. There is a personal or professional restriction regarding the nature of the decision.
3. The process is too advanced for the demographic (citing your example regarding soldiers undergoing training, as time may be lost and the level of
information too high).
Secondly, my opinion regarding authentic leadership theory and actual practice within a military organisation.
I am of the opinion that authenticity and transformational leadership are intrinsically linked to each other. I also believe that through experience and
maturing as leaders our system of values and principles will change (for example a 21 year old LCPL vs 36 year old SNCO). As we mature we also gain
wider experience that allows us to view the periphery of decision making. Taking into account all factors both internal and external and realising that
there are numerous stakeholders affected by the decisions made by us. I think that the leadership style does not change, it is authentic throughout as it
promotes open lines of communication and is based on a strong ethical foundation. I think over my time I have used a mixture of authentic and
transformational styles. Realistically this could be termed to be a split leadership style. However I think that they complement each other instead of being
clearly delineated or split. I think that over time I have not shifted particularly towards subordinated or superiors. As an authentic leader I have general
compassion towards my team members and assume a protective role. However, I am also more aware of the strategic direction and particularly the
methodology behind unpopular decision making. I also understand that I must find the balance that appeases both elements. Happy team + Happy
superiors = Harmonious organisation. The junior leader or middle manager is the conduit between the parties and is responsible for expectation
management both upwards and downwards.
I hope that I have answered your questions today and will check this post more often. Thanks for the positive feedback as it provides encouragement for
others to assess their own strengths and weaknesses and encourages leadership innovation.

Selene DECEMBER 7, 2017 AT 4:53 PM

Hi Tony,

Kym shared your article at work and I am glad that she did. Thank you for giving an insight into your experiences and how they have informed your attitude
toward leadership and responsibility. You are an inspiring individual and a great writer – your writing style is very engaging!

Cheers, Selene
REPLY

Tony APRIL 4, 2018 AT 1:06 PM

Good Afternoon Selene,

Apologies for the late reply, I am glad that you enjoyed the article. A lot of leadership characteristics are transferrable to the private sector. I Am glad that
it provided you with some insight into both leadership strengths and weaknesses. I found it a little daunting to critically self analyse and identify the
points, but I think it is beneficial to records them and allow others to utilise them as a case study for their own style.

Thanks
Tony

Mick M DECEMBER 18, 2017 AT 1:58 PM

What a good article Tony.

Sharing your personal experiences adds significant value to the leadership theory you outline throughout your career (rather than repeat theory straight from
the text books), in addition to briefly explaining what worked for you and what achieved good outcomes.

Another good point is the feedback one receives; no one is a guru straight after learning their trade or a new skill, and we can expect to perform a bit weaker
initially until we have developed the requisite technical/tactical competence and experience.

It would be good if you reply Matt’s questions.

Thankyou and all the very best.

REPLY

Tony APRIL 4, 2018 AT 1:11 PM

Good Afternoon Mick,

I have finally replied to Matt, hopefully this provides some further insight into my thoughts on the subject. Thanks for the feedback and I think I found a
good median between theory and actual practical experience and linking the two. I agree that it takes time and experience to gain competence in the
profession of arms.

Best wishes
Tony

Bruce Cameron JANUARY 27, 2018 AT 6:39 PM

Dear Anthony,
Congratulations on an outstanding analysis of leadership in terms of your experience (and many thanks for your service). I recently came across an article by
Ian McAuley in which he argued that leadership must not “…be confused with authority”. He went on to say “Beware of the call for a ‘strong leader’, because
the expectation that he/she “can solve our problems relieves us from personal responsibility in tackling hard issues…”. http://johnmenadue.com/ian-mcauley-
reframing-public-ideas-part-1-leadership/
He concluded that “In general, we should not expect leadership to come from those in positions of authority. The work of leadership takes place down the
line and is largely unsung”.
Is this perception something that you would incorporate in your paper if you were to revise it?
Best wishes, Bruce Cameron (former Armoured Centre instructor).
REPLY

Tony APRIL 4, 2018 AT 1:38 PM

Good Afternoon Bruce,

I have read the article and a primary example of this occurs within the military. The troop or platoon organisation consist of a leadership team that would
appear mismatched on paper:
– Troop/Platoon Commander – Generally 19-23 years old, 2 years experience in training. Commands the organisation tactically and is responsible for
the organisation to the higher commander. The buck stops with the platoon/troop commander.
– Troop/Platoon Sergeant – Generally 28 – 35 years old, 10-15 years experience. Supports the commander of the organisation across the full spectrum
of tactics/discipline/welfare/equipment husbandry/logistics/technical proficiency/career management (this list is not exhaustive)
These two look mismatched to form a leadership team. However, they complement each other. The NCO’s within this organisation support the decision
making of the junior commander. Their efforts are largely unsung and the colloquial ‘pat on the back’ is given to the commander.
I think that leadership is still shown at all levels although the SNCO and JNCO’s are not employed as the primary commander of the team. But following
this methodology does this remove the commanders status as a strong leader? I think this example is similar to the article as the leader of the
organisation is only as strong as the subordinates that support their command. Ultimately, I think that I could have used this example particularly when
soldiers transition from leading as JNCO’s to a more commander support role as SNCOs and WOs. At this level most of your work is ‘largely unsung’
and is in support of a commanders decision making process. But this does not rob us of our ability to be leaders, soldiers will still look for the example to
emulate.
I hope this answer isn’t too much waffling and answers your question.

Regards
Tony

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