Sep 28, 2021
The culture and structure of military service is completely
unique, and yet on some levels there are commonalities with
commercial organizations of any type. In this episode of Building
Better Cultures, Scott welcomes two front-line officers whose
experience shaping the Irish Defence Forces offers lessons
applicable within any workplace environment.
Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, recently retired Chief of Staff, and
Sgt Rena Kennedy, Head of Internal Communications, have devoted
their careers to fostering excellence in leadership and pride
throughout the ranks. Like all complicated institutions, the Irish
Defence Forces has its own challenges with internal communications,
diversity, accountability and effective leadership.
Whether within a commercial enterprise or military line of duty,
find out why the concept of Just Culture has an important role to
play and how ego can undermine trust, pride and morale among IDF
ranks – or among the ranks of enterprises of any other type. Many
of the most innovative workplace ideas are generated within
military institutions because of the many challenges that must be
met: messaging across distributed locations, cross-generational
communications styles, security requirements and an atmosphere in
which soldiers, regardless of rank, feel safe admitting error.
Enjoy this fascinating exchange about the nature of
accountability, tools for promoting individual growth within
organizations and leadership techniques that engage team members at
any level or stage of career development. Vice Admr Mellett and Sgt
Kennedy offer perspectives that you’ll find extremely
thought-provoking.
To learn more about the Building Better Cultures podcast and
related services, visit www.buildingbettercultures.com
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Mark felt the call to military service early, first
volunteering with the Irish Defence Forces as a 14-year-old
reservist and ultimately launching a multi-decade career upon
signing up to be a cadet at 18.
- Rena has 27 years of service, mostly spent in the
communications space. She, too, was inspired early as a schoolgirl
impressed by the role of the Irish Defence Forces serving with the
United Nations.
- The true nature of leadership within the military framework and
how it has evolved over the course of Mark’s tenure. Diversity of
thought is key, and something impressed upon Mark from his earliest
experience in military service.
- About the three strands that together define IDF
leadership:
-
- Warrior – Tip of the spear.
- Scholar – Open, reflective, growth-oriented mindset.
- Diplomat – Able to bring complex, diverse institutions and
professions together with a common vision.
- Diplomacy is a critical tool for collaboration and progress
across military and civilian sectors alike.
- Rank has a role to play in executing missions, but for Mark,
competence is the glue that binds teams together and creates a
unified, highly effective culture.
- Ego is the enemy of rank – a toxic ingredient that can put at
risk the fabric of operations and undermine the authority of those
in leadership.
- When Rena and Mark work together they bring diversity of age,
gender and perspective that plays a critical role in advancing
teams in unison.
- Whether in military or civilian, commercial culture, the fact
that you have a title in no way guarantees that people will follow
or execute your wishes.
- Communications in the military and corporate spheres may
differ, but they share the fundamental challenge to disseminate
information effectively and accurately.
- Email is one of the means for delivering messages, but the IDF
deploys other modalities that may not be “cool” but get the job
done. Flags, for instance!
- Delivering a singular message to a cross-generational, broadly
distributed audience with security requirements is a primary
challenge for Rena. Communications are increasingly pushed through
hand-held social media such as Facebook and Twitter, but there are
limits to those formats and the personnel they reach.
- Administrative and more routine internal communications involve
messaging strategies quite distinct from operational tasking up and
down the ranks. Among Rena’s tasks is the mandate to support IDF
service members and their families with as much lead time and
information as possible.
- Things the IDF have done to enhance communications skills and
efficacy?
-
- Create a clear presence for Public Affairs representatives
within units.
- Give trainings to teach representatives how best to manage
press interactions, compose internal memos, encourage leaders in
each barracks to engage in face-to-face communications.
- Provide augmented educational opportunities to service members
at every level and stage of their career.
- The message received often isn’t the message given. Mark shares
a tale of miscommunication involving a banquet centerpiece gone
wrong.
- Just Culture: Why normalizing openness to dissent isn’t at odds
with military structure. If decision-makers are afraid to admit
error, there is no basis for the trust and accountability necessary
to turn that error into a “lessons learned” process.
- Leaders must be able to discern between errors and violations,
the latter being intentional and pernicious.
- At the center of Just Culture is psychological safety. Mark
believes it’s paramount that nobody should feel uncomfortable in
the workplace and that establishing an atmosphere of safety – and
follow-through – is the responsibility of leadership to
provide.
- Pride of purpose is rooted in recognition and respect. Offering
thanks both publicly and privately (as with the recent very
challenging operation in Afghanistan) knits pride into the
culture.
- The IDF’s Values Award highlights objective examples of
bravery, selflessness, loyalty, physical and moral courage. It’s
also a powerful internal communications tool showcasing individual
commitment to core values.
- Looking back on his highly successful career, Mark is most
proud of his efforts to foster meaningful authority that reflects
the strength in collaboration, communication and unity.
ABOUT OUR GUESTS
Mark Mellet - @LinkedIn
Rena Kennedy -
@LinkedIn
IDF Website: www.military.ie
ABOUT SCOTT MCINNES
Learn more about Scott McInnes, Founder and Director of
Inspiring Change, by clicking here.
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