In times of crisis, we look to our leaders for guidance and reassurance, and great leaders rise to the challenge. How do you think our leaders are faring during the COVID-19 pandemic? Here, leadership trainer and former naval officer Dr Philip Harrell gives his appraisal.
ScoMo's 'Winston Churchill moment'
"Leadership is always important, but especially at this time," Philip says. "This is ScoMo's Winston Churchill moment; Australians need to be able to trust what he is saying. If he can engender trust - and I think Scott Morrison has - he can provide stability and direction and people will go along with his recommendations. His leadership is under a lot of scrutiny and the stakes are high. People need to believe that we will come out the other side."
Having lost some public confidence during the bushfire crisis, our Prime Minister is under the spotlight like never before. "I think he's clawing back some of the discontent people felt at seeing him holidaying in Hawaii while our bushfires raged," Philip says. "He's providing stable, trustworthy leadership. He's had to make tough decisions on a daily basis and I believe respect for him as a leader is growing. We can all learn from our leaders and how they perform under pressure."
So just what makes a good leader?
"That's the 64 million dollar question," Philip says. "They have to be a good communicator and visionary, but for me the fundamental issue is one of trust.
People do not want to be led by leaders they don’t trust.
"The most appropriate way to build trust is through living your values. Once a leader has engendered that trust, they need to engage with their followers so they can bring them on board and have everyone moving in the same direction."
A leadership and management trainer of 25 years' experience, Philip rose to a leadership position himself early in life. He was the youngest-ever graduate of officer cadet school in the Army Reserve, and a platoon commander at 20.
"From a very early age I was expected to be responsible for people, to look after their wellbeing," Philip says. "When you are doing dangerous things and people could get injured or die, then it crystallises the importance of leadership."
From the Army Reserve, while at university, Phil moved on to become an officer in the Royal Australian Navy. He was constantly reminded of the need to provide solid, trustworthy direction during challenging situations. "When you are rescuing people from sinking ships, working on critical tasks in a force 7 gale, or leading an armed boarding party on a vessel with possible drug smugglers on board, you learn very quickly the importance of mutual trust through staying true to your values - regardless of consequences,” Philip says.
“It taught me a lot about finding the confidence within myself to make decisions and to stand by those decisions. When I moved into the consulting world, those lessons went with me."
Attention to detailers
Although Philip cites a number of naval captains he worked under as "brilliant leaders", he is also reminded of a displaced migrant he consulted to, who worked his way up from a position as a car detailer in a caryard to being the manager and then successful proprietor of several vehicle dealerships.
"The first thing that man does, every morning, is to wander around and talk to everyone in his dealership, and then he always sits down with the car detailers for his morning coffee," Philip says. "This very wealthy man understands the importance of being true to your values. He treats people with respect and encourages and supports everyone in the organisation, regardless of their hierarchical level. He is a true values-based leader.
"Values-based leadership is about understanding your values, your team or organisation's values, and living them every single day. If you, as a leader, maintain consistent, trustworthy behaviour, aligned with your values and those of your team, then you will be successful as a leader."
However, it is in truly testing times that values serve as a guiding light. "When we find ourselves in a situation where the rule book doesn't provide the answers, good leaders fall back on their values," Philip says. "During the global financial crisis, those companies who relied upon their core values emerged from the crisis better and faster than those that didn't. I suspect we will see the same thing after the COVID-19 pandemic."
During a career that has seen him teach leadership to everyone from Federal Court officials to emerging female leaders in developing countries, Philip has learnt many important lessons himself. "It is only by understanding and harnessing your personal values that you can create a truly focused and rewarding life," he says.
Philip is an educator and consultant, and teaches leadership at the University of New England. He is currently a trainer in the GEAReD (Gender Equity in Agriculture Research for Development) program, a partnership between the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and UNE.
