Values at the heart of leadership

National Association of Police Fleet Managers – 3 June 2014

Justin Featherstone MC FRGS

Distributed and Shared Leadership

• Is a systemic view of leadership in which a greater number of people are involved in leading within their organisation a more resilient and sustainable model?• What part do values play in this

model?

• “Leadership is the art of accomplishing more than the science of management says is possible.”

• Colin Powell from The Powell Principles by Oren Harari, 2003

Major General Sir John ‘Shan’ Winthrop Hackett GCB CBE DSO (Bar) MC

• “The whole pattern of life of the professional man-at-arms is designed in a deliberate effort to foster moral values, not just because they are morally desirable in themselves, but because they are essential to military efficiency.”

What are your values?

• What are your top 6 personal values?• What are the top 6 values of

your police force as you experience them?• When last did you demonstrate

one of these in difficult circumstances?

Learning (operational) Zones

Comfort

Stretch /learning

Panic /fear

The Leadership Challenge: The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership*

• Model the way• Inspire a shared

vision• Challenge the

process• Enable others to act• Encourage the heart*Kouzes & Posner, 1987 & 2012

WHAT IN YOUR VIEW IS MILITARY LEADERSHIP?

Core Values – the moral glue

• British Army’s core values:– Selfless Commitment– Courage– Discipline– Integrity– Loyalty– Respect for Others

Case Study 1 - When values meet reality

Reflections

CIMIC House – the environment

• The most attacked British Unit since the Korean War (The Times, Stephen Grey).

• The longest continued defence of a static location by a British Unit since World War 2.

Tactical environment

• 309 Mortar attacks (760 Rounds).• 595 Rounds over 5-28 Aug 04.• 6 x 107mm Rocket attacks.• 62 x RPG 7 attacks.• 88 major contacts against patrols.• 100+ against Cimic House over 5-28 Aug.• 14 Casualties (48 in 1PWRR BG) – 4 Combat

Stress in Y Coy.

Maintaining high performance

• Values must be real, relevant and practised

• Empathy and authenticity.• Trust.• “Drink more tea.”• A single Y Company family.• All valued and valuable.

Combat – Encourage The Heart

• Exhilarating, enervating, roller-coaster.

• Most extreme environment possible.

• Crossing the Rubicon.

The Medhi Army uprising 5 – 28 Aug 2004

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Sustaining high performance

• Humanity – the emotional landscape.

• Clarity in chaos – linking individual contribution to the collective effort.

• Stress.• The small things count.

Coming home

• Sustaining the values.• Supporting the family.• Maintaining the

identity.

Discussion 1: AC130 Spectre Strike• Yesterday you called in an airstrike on an insurgent mortar

position. The strike was successful but 3 civilians were killed when the mortar ammunition exploded (one baby, one old man and a woman).

• Divisional HQ legal tell you that you may not apologise or admit responsibility/liability before they have investigated the case fully, which might take weeks.

• Sharia law dictates reparations must be made within 2 weeks to avoid a blood feud and the local population wish to meet you.

• What will you do?• Use your values list and that of the British Army to support your

decision.

A sniper’s tale – doing the right thing?

Discussion

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CASE STUDY 2 – OWNING THE VALUES

• What does a great leader look and sound like?

• What does a great team look like?• Can values be consistently upheld in

new teams facing unfamiliar territory?

Case Study 2: Inspiring a Shared Vision – Ecuador 2007

Ecuador

Values in action

• Capability not disability• We will understand each other’s

function and not focus on dysfunction• One voice at a time and everyone’s

opinion to be heard and valued• We will support each other all of the

time• We will challenge others when our

values are not being upheld

Beyond Boundaries 3

Case Study 2 - discussion

• What has happened and why has this situation occurred?

• What might Julie and the rest of the team have done to reduce the likelihood of this situation occurring?

• What lessons from the whole case study might transfer to your environments?

Ethical Leadership principles (Northouse, P., 2010)

Ethical Leadershi

p

Respects others

Shows justice

Manifests

honesty

Builds communit

y

Serves others

• “Leaders honour their core values, but they are flexible in how they execute them.”

• Colin Luther Powell

What place have values in supporting operational effectiveness?