Battling with Business

Episode 55 - How do you learn to lead? Insights from the Centre for Army Leadership Centre with Lt Col Dean Canham OBE

The British Army requires the highest standards of leadership. It is a core function of the institution and a fundamental component of fighting power. Their leadership philosophy is values-based, motivated not by self-interest but in the service of others.
To find out more Gareth and Chris head to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to explore the question, how do you learn to lead? Joined by the head of the Centre for Army Leadership, Lt Col Dean Canham OBE, they discuss how the British Army approaches developing leadership skills in its personnel. Sandhurst is a world-renowned officer training academy, but the Army recognises the importance of leadership across its workforce.
The Centre for Army Leadership exists to champion leadership excellence and to optimise the Army’s human 'edge' that underpins operational success. They support the development of exceptional leaders not just for the British Army, but for the whole nation.
 
  

Episode 54 - Dilemmas and moral hazard

After an intriguing question posed by Chris's son, Gareth and Chris decide to explore the concept of dilemmas.  Throughout the episode, they seek to answer questions such as; What is a dilemma and can they be positive?  What's the difference between a dilemma and an integrity test? Should you work at weekends? And when is it acceptable to break the rules?
Finally, they explore trolly problems and we find out if Gareth would cut up a perfectly healthy person to harvest their organs.

Episode 53 - Influencers #7 - Charles de Gaulle - Part2

In the second part of this Influencers, we look at why Charles De Gaulle was ultimately successful in his battle to become the leader of free France over his rival Henri Giraud', his 'difficult' relationship with other Allied leaders, and his post-war influence on France, Europe, and the world.
 

Episode 52 - Influencers #7 - Charles de Gaulle - Part 1

In the first Influencers episode of the year, Chris and Gareth discuss Charles De Gaul and his amazing journey from private soldier and war hero to becoming the head of the 5th French Republic.  On the way, they discuss the impact of his time in captivity as a German prisoner of war and the role his resolute devotion to France had on his success.  How did a relatively obscure Army Officer become the Aliies' choice to be the leader of free France? And more importantly is there anything we can learn from this?

Episode 51 - New Years Special - A year of Battling with Business

In this New Years special Chris and Gareth review the first year of the podcast discussing their favourite episodes, notable guests and the most interesting insights.  We reviewed Ian Peggs episode on the role of Chaplains, Joe Browns contributions on Leadership and mentoring, Mark McGraths insights on the OODA loop as well as the contributions from Mary Brazier, Waitman Beorn, Douglas Waterfall and Theo Bigby.  We then look forward to what’s coming up and what we hope to achieve in 2024.  

Episode 50 - The Christmas Special - Chris and Gareth’s personal journeys that led them to the Podcast

Gareth and Chris thought that the end of the year might be a good time to reevaluate why they do the podcast and explore a little bit more about each of their own personal journeys that has led them to being self-confessed Leadership, Management and Strategy nerds.  Gareth talks about process of becoming a Royal Marine Commando. Chris describes his formative years at Britania Royal Naval College, Dartmouth.   They finish the episode by describing what attributes they think are important to becoming a better Leader.  

Episode 49 - OODA with Mark McGrath

In this episode, Chris and Gareth are delighted to be joined by Mark McGrath the Chief Operating Officer of AGLX and co-host of the 'No Way Out' Podcast.  As a US Marines Officer, economist, and expert on the works of John Boyd, Mark is the perfect guest to help the Battling with Business team really get to grips with the concept of the OODA Loop.  

Episode 48 - Influencers #6 - David Sterling & Paddy Mayne - The founders the SAS

The Special Air Service (SAS) is on of the most infamous and yet mysterious Special Forces Units in the world.  It all started as a ruse to convince the enemy that the British has considerable Airborne fighting power in the Northern Deserts of North Africa in the Second World War.  Several tenacious, bright and arguably slightly unhinged men set out to turn this myth into as legend.  Two of these men, David Sterling and Paddy Mayne were perhaps the most  well known.  In this Influencers episode we explore how they managed to achieve so much with so little, what lessons we can draw from their story, and how much were their individual leadership styles critical to the enduring success of the SAS.  

Episode 47- The Gardener of Lashkar Gar - with Defence Editor of The Times, Larisa Brown

In this episode we have the privilege to be joined by the award winning journalist and Defence Editor of 'The Times', Larisa Brown.  We discuss her new book The Gardener of Lashkar Gah: The Afghans who risked everything to fight the Taliban.  
This book explores the courage of the people of Afghanistan who risked everything to work with British Soldiers in the fight against the Taliban.  Larisa tells the story of Shaista Gull, a kind man who build a beautiful garden inside the British HQ in Helmand Province and then his fight to get his family to safety after the withdrawal of Allied troops.    
Chris and Gareth try to understand what has gone so wrong for the British Government to betray the loyalty of so many interpreters and they explore the lessons that we might learn from this.
 

Episode 46 - The Starfish & The Spider and the power of decentralised networks

In this episode we look at the concepts from the Book The Starfish and the Spider by Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom.  We discuss the benefits and disadvantages of decentralisation.  
Using the analogy of the Starfish as a decentralised and self-healing system and the Spider as a centralised system, the book introduces the contrasting characteristics between organisations that embody these differing approaches.
We discuss the need to find the balance between being so controlling that you potentially stifle innovation and become inflexible, and so decentralised that there ceases to be any coherence between teams at all, and communication and purpose break down all together.