Review: Leadership Secrets of the Australian Army, by Brigadier Nicholas Jans (Ret’d), OAM

Civilian misperception of an authoritarian rather than authoritative leadership style in the military means valuable lessons are ignored, says this author.

Leadership Secrets of the Australian Army

Brigadier Nicholas Jans (Ret’d), OAM

208pp, Allen & Unwin, $29.99

Leadership secrets of the Australian Army by Brigadier Nicholas Jans (Ret’d), OAM.

“It’s the backswing, stupid.” Army brigadier Nicholas Jans OAM (Ret’d) uses the golfing metaphor to hit home his point that leadership culture is the foundation of organisational performance. In his book he distils the leadership “secrets” of the Australian Army, which “consistently punches above its weight”, into a simple formula he calls the 3Rs: Representing, Relating and Running the team.

The secrets, according to Jans, aren’t secrets because the military wants it that way; the principles behind the culture seem so self-evident to those within it that they are rarely explained or analysed. Civilian misperception of an authoritarian rather than authoritative style is part of the reason so many valuable lessons go ignored. Jans debunks this misperception with another fitting metaphor: the military is like “a jazz band in which a handful of players works with – as opposed to work to – a central theme”.

This is my experience too. As a former army captain who joined out of school, I am aware of how rare army leadership practices are in “civvy street”. One such practice is the importance of explaining “why” before “what”, which Jans says is a fundamental part of basic army communication protocol. It is based on the premise that “it is very difficult to get serious buy-in from intelligent people if they do not have a clear understanding of the bigger picture”.

Jans weaves anecdotes from former and current serving members with well-researched leadership theory and an easy to follow formula. Leadership examples that are both uniquely Australian and uniquely military give colour to the theoretical underpinnings. A warrant officer recalls a sign behind a superior’s desk reading “GOYA” that served as a constant reminder to him to Get off Your Arse. The message was clear: forget your in-tray and get out there and interact with your people. A national serviceman takes a practice from his Vietnam days of walking around the gun batteries talking to the soldiers into the corporate office, with an equivalent daily commitment. The essence is practical and egalitarian leadership.

The theory and practices in Jans’ pages are equally relevant at both an individual

and organisational level. For individuals the lessons are wide ranging and the 3Rs model serves as a “mental ‘app’ for day-to-day self-monitoring, reflection, self-development and self-critiquing”. At the organisational level, Jans emphasises the importance of sowing the leadership seed early, deeply and widely because far too many organisations leave it too late.

Perhaps the most pleasing element is the broad applicability and proven effectiveness of the practices in Jans’ guide. He first tested the core principles in a seminar he ran as part of an executive MBA at Sydney University.

He stress-tested it shortly after in a community leadership context as he helped his home town of Marysville in Victoria’s Central Highlands recover from the Black Saturday fires.

Lieutenant General David Morrison AO, former Australian of the Year and Chief of the Army, offers this endorsement of the book: “Read it and be wise”.

Royalties from sales of Leadership Secrets of the Australian Army will go to Soldier On, the support services provider for national service personnel.