Frontline To Boardroom

In today's business world, there is a lot of talk about leadership. What does it really mean to be a leader? And how can you become one? Becoming a leader doesn't happen overnight. It takes time, effort, and practice. But there are some simple things you can do to start developing your leadership skills.

In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, I chat with Scott Leggo, a veteran of 10 years of service in the Royal Australian Air Force. Scott shares the leadership lessons he learned in and out of the military, and how these have helped him as an entrepreneur.

What I loved about our conversation was Scott’s simple approach to leadership and his perspective as an entrepreneur. In the military, Scott learned the importance of leading by example and being authentic in his interactions with others. His rich professional career is a great example of how our experiences can shape our leadership style and approach in all situations.

Scott's story is a great reminder that our experiences can be a source of strength and wisdom if we allow them to be. Listen to his episode now to learn more about his story and the lessons he's learned in the military. 

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Leadership influences in Scott’s life (04:04)
• Who are the good leaders? (06:37)
• Scott’s biggest leadership lesson from the Air Force (13:09)
• Why do good leaders need empathy? (17:12)
• Things you need to focus on when transitioning (25:10)
• One thing Scott didn’t learn in the military (28:16)
• Scott’s photography business (32:08)
• The three C’s of leadership (37:14)
• Rapid-fire questions with Scott (43:58)

Quotes

“I'm always observing and use that to calibrate my own choices around leadership.” -Martin Brooker

“To achieve what you need as a leader and get performance at people naturally, you've got to focus on people.” Scott Leggo

“Sometimes, people actually need professional support to really understand what that story is.” -Scott Leggo

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman
  
  

WHERE TO FIND SCOTT LEGGO

• Connect with Scott on LinkedIn.
• Visit Scott Leggo’s website here. 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW THE FRONTLINE TO BOARDROOM PODCAST 

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Frontline To Boardroom podcast. If the information in any of our conversations and interviews has helped you in your business journey, please head over to Apple Podcasts, click the 3 dots in the top right corner of your smartphone screen, follow the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver valuable content but will also help us reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you!


ABOUT SCOTT LEGGO

Scott Leggo is a veteran of 10 years of service in the Royal Australian Air Force, as a weapons and tactics officer, with operational service in the War against Iraq.  On the back of his military service, Scott continued to serve his country as an Australian Diplomat before transitioning to a career as a management consultant, where he was most successful as a trusted business advisor to senior executives in government and the private sector in Australia and internationally

Scott’s passion for landscape photography has seen him take a major change in direction growing a highly successful business, providing premium quality, Australian-made artworks, to clients nationally and internationally. 

Widely recognised as one of Australia’s leading landscape photographers, Scott is the recipient of over 100 Australian and international awards, has been awarded the coveted title of ‘Master of Photography’ by the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP).

What legacy do you want to leave as a leader? Do you want to be known for your accomplishments, or is it being remembered for your character and how you positively influenced those around you? 

In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, I chat with Oak McCulloch, a veteran of 23 years service in the United States Army.  Oak shares his personal story what leadership meant to him and his transition from the military to the civilian sector; how his experience as a military leader helped him in his corporate career.

Oak definitely has a clear vision when it comes to leadership and importantly the focus on your legacy as a leader.. 

If you are interested in learning more about leadership, or if you are a leader yourself looking for tips on how to be more effective, this episode is definitely for you!

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Leadership influences in Oak’s life (02:51)
• Why is leadership about trust? (05:27)
• Creating an environment of feedback (10:40)
• Oak’s biggest lesson while in service (11:52)
• Oak’s operational experience in Kosovo (14:25)
• How to carry out your responsibilities as a leader (17:52)
• Oak’s transition from the military to the corporate world (23:33)
• What is the ROTC program? (26:24)
• Oak’s ultimate advice to young leaders (29:03)
• Oak’s “Your Leadership Legacy” book (33:33)
• Rapid-fire questions with Oak (41:52)

Quotes

• “If people trust you, they will do anything for you.” -Oak McCulloch
• “Leadership is about people.” -Oak McCulloch
• “You need to ensure that people are volunteers to the team goals, not conscripts to yours.” -Martin Brooker
• “Great leadership handed down from generation to generation is what develops great nations.” -Oak McCulloch

.RESOURCES MENTIONED

• The Heights of Courage: A Tank Leader's War On the Golan by Avigdor Kahalani
• Books by John Wooden
• Your Leadership Legacy by Oak McCulloch
  
  

WHERE TO FIND OAK MCCULLOCH

• Connect with Oak on LinkedIn.
• Visit Oak McCulloch’s website here. 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW THE FRONTLINE TO BOARDROOM PODCAST 

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Frontline To Boardroom podcast. If the information in any of our conversations and interviews has helped you in your business journey, please head over to Apple Podcasts, click the 3 dots in the top right corner of your smartphone screen, follow the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver valuable content but will also help us reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you!


ABOUT OAK MCCULLOCH

LTC (Retired) Oak McCulloch is a veteran of 23 years service in the United States Army as an Infantry and Armor Corps officer. His operational deployments included Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, support operations in Bosnia and a Peace Keeping deployment to Kosovo; including disaster relief operations for Hurricane HUGO in Charleston, South Carolina, and Hurricane ANDREW in south Florida. Oak also held a number of key instructor positions at the US Army Ordnance School, the US Army Command and General Staff College, the Australian Command and Staff College, University of South Alabama and Stetson University.  His last position in the Army was a three-year tour as the Professor of Military Science at the University of South Alabama.  

Retiring from the Army in September 2009, Oak joined the staff at the Bay Area Food Bank as the Associate Director and served as the Vice Chair for Military Affairs on the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.  Oak continues to contribute to the leadership development of young officers through a number of roles in the US Army ROTC program at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida and the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

A speaker, author and specialist leadership expert, Oak is a well-known speaker who gives presentations on a variety of topics including leadership, success, military history, current events, college preparation and others.

His first book was published in February 2021 – “Your Leadership Legacy: Becoming the Leader You Were Meant to Be”. Oak highlights principles that will benefit today’s leaders and inspire the leaders of tomorrow, at all levels and in every profession.

When most people think of the military, they think of soldiers, sailors and airmen and airwomen but the team is far more than Hollywood might have us believe. What many people don't know is that there is a team of psychologists who work with the troops to help them handle the stress of operations and cope with difficult situations to perform at their best when under pressure. 

In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, I chat with Melissa Harries, a military psychologist for 6 years and \now working with high-risk employment categories. Melissa is also in private practice helping individuals experiencing difficulties with anxiety, trauma, emotion regulation and stress tolerance. 

Melissa discusses some of the lessons learnt from working with the military as a psychologist and shares her insights on mental health of service men and women.  She also discusses how these lessons can be applied to the business world and the role psychology plays in helping you achieve better results in the workplace.

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• The role of a psychologist in the army (03:24)
• Leadership influences in Melissa’s life (04:59)
• Psychology as a black art (10:04)
• How does the military respond to challenging tasks? (14:30)
• Melissa’s experience at Kapooka (16:29)
• The biggest leadership challenges Melissa tackled? (21:19)
• Why you need to be part of a community (27:01)
• How to build resilience in the workplace (30:40)
• What the military didn’t teach Melissa (37:40)
• Melissa’s best advice to leaders (39:38)
• Rapid-fire questions with Melissa (44:36)
  
  

Quotes

• “The only way you learn how to deal with stress is by being stressed.” -Melissa Harries (18:35)
• “You can only be resilient if you have the opportunity to practice being resilient.” -Melissa Harries (18:35)
• “People have to fail first before they can be successful in an environment.” -Martin Brooker (19:52)
  
  

RESOURCES

• Safe Work Australia 
• The Happiness Advantage
  
  

WHERE TO FIND MELISSA HARRIES

• Connect with Melissa on LinkedIn.
• Check out Melissa’s website here.  
  
  
  

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW THE FRONTLINE TO BOARDROOM PODCAST 

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Frontline To Boardroom podcast. If the information in any of our conversations and interviews has helped you in your business journey, please head over to Apple Podcasts, click the 3 dots in the top right corner of your smartphone screen, follow the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver valuable content but will also help us reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you!

ABOUT MELISSA HARRIES

Melissa Harries has served in the Australian Army as a psychologist for 6 years with operational service on multiple rotations to the Middle East and East Timor. 

Since leaving the Army, Melissa has worked with organisations with high-risk employment categories that include the NSW fire and rescue service, electricity line workers, special forces units and criminal prosecutors. 

Melissa’s psychology practice is focused on helping individuals and workplaces to perform at their optimum through proactive skills-based training and counselling. She also maintains a private practice assisting individuals experiencing difficulties with anxiety, trauma, emotion regulation and stress tolerance.

Being a good human can be tough. We are constantly bombarded with negative news and images, and it's easy to get discouraged. But we need to remember that we are the ones who can create change in the world, and it all starts with being our best self. 

In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, I chat with Shamsa Lea, a former member of the Air Force and now a senior manager in climate and sustainability at Deloitte. Shamsa is also the co-founder of Propel Her, a leadership series that empowers Defence women to shape their careers and enhance their professional development in an inclusive space.

We discuss the importance of finding your voice and using it to empower others effectively. Shamsa also shares how she found her own voice and used it to become a successful businesswoman; the value of sponsorship and the importance of having someone in your corner. 

If you're looking for ways to be a good human, empower others and lead meaningful change, this episode is for you.

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Leadership influences in Shamsa’s life (02:51)
• Shamsa’s experiences in operational service (04:45)
• The role of a gender peace and security adviser in an operational environment (08:50)
• How Shamsa is inspiring woman to speak up (11:19)
• Why did Shamsa take leave without pay from the Air Force? (16:21)
• Lessons learned after leaving the Air Force (24:19)
• Shamsa’s advice to new leaders (26:20)
• What is sponsorship and why is Shamsa okay with it? (28:31)
• Rapid-fire questions with Shamsa (34:04)

Quotes

“I can teach anyone technical skills, but I can't teach someone how to care for a team.” -Shamsa Lea

“It doesn't matter who you are, it's so important to be able to find your voice.” -Martin Brooker

“I'm here for the journey to be the best version of myself.” -Shamsa Lea

WHERE TO FIND SHAMSA LEA

• Connect with Shamsa on LinkedIn.
• Find out more about Shamsa at Propel Her. 
  
  
  

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW THE FRONTLINE TO BOARDROOM PODCAST 

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Frontline To Boardroom podcast. If the information in any of our conversations and interviews has helped you in your business journey, please head over to Apple Podcasts, click the 3 dots in the top right corner of your smartphone screen, follow the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver valuable content but will also help us reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you!

ABOUT SHAMSA LEA

Shamsa Lea is an Air Force logistician, and veteran of operational service in Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea and the Middle East Region. 

She is currently a Senior Manager in Climate and Sustainability at Deloitte, on leave without pay from the Air Force. 

Her service as a logistics officer provided many lessons at an early age. She has trained as a UN Gender Advisor and is a passionate social justice advocate for a systems approach to intersectionality in the workforce and community. 

WARNING 

We do talk about suicide in this episode, which I know can be distressing. So if you need resources then please seek those out in your location. 

If in Australia go to beyondblue.org or you for 24-hour free counselling in Australia, the number for Lifeline is 13 11 14, please look after yourself.
Society teaches us that in order to be a “real man,” one must be tough, unemotional, and aggressive. It creates a difficult Catch-22 for many of us that can be challenging to reconcile our desire to be both masculine and intelligent. 

In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, I chat with Michael Aichholzer, a former intelligence specialist in  the Royal Australian Navy for 35 years and 4 years in public service. When he retired from full-time work he leaned into his passion as an advocate and educator on positive masculinity and men’s mental health issues. 

Michael now works with Menslink, a Canberra-based Not for profit, that helps young guys going through tough times. Michael is a mentor for young men and has been pivotal in creating and delivering an education program that helps male teens develop and maintain positive relationships with themselves and others. 
Michael shares his experience of leadership in multi force environments and advice for men who may be struggling with their own mental health..

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Early leadership influences in Michael’s life (03:51)
• Michael’s experience as a Naval officer(05:46)
• Michael’s go-to resources in developing his skills (09:37)
• What it’s like to be an intelligence support officer in the Persian Gulf (13:07)
• Michael’s transition from the Defence  force to corporate life (21:22)
• Dealing with mental health conditions as a leader (26:56)
• Michael’s public service journey (31:33)
• The importance of having a community (36:55)
• Michael’s three keys to parents with kids in school (38:10)
• Rapid-fire questions with Michael (48:33)

Quotes

“The more aware you are of yourself, the better you are working with others.” -Michael Aichholzer

“Understanding your own emotional state is important because that has an influence or an impact on how you deal with other people.” -Michael Aichholzer

“Whether you're a leader or a member of a team, the people working with you will turn up to work with all that they've got going on in their world.” -Martin Brooker

“Honour people when they have the courage to step up, you never know what the next thing might be.” -Martin Brooker

“Self awareness is the foundation of building relationships as a leader.” -Martin Brooker


.RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Lifeline
  
  

WHERE TO FIND MICHAEL AICHHOLZER

• Connect with Michael on LinkedIn.
• Find out more about Michael here. 

RESOURCES FROM MICHAEL AICHHOLZER

A powerful account of hypermasculinity by Michael Aichholzer

'Men don't cry': Michael reveals how he undid the hyper-masculine lessons from his past by Michael Aichholzer

Faces of Canberra: Michael (Mongo) Aichholzer by Rachel Moore

A Few Good Blokes 

Michael Aichhholzer Shares His Story About Anxiety & more - This Is My Brave Canberra, Australia 2017


SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW THE FRONTLINE TO BOARDROOM PODCAST 

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Frontline To Boardroom podcast. If the information in any of our conversations and interviews has helped you in your business journey, please head over to Apple Podcasts, click the 3 dots in the top right corner of your smartphone screen, follow the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver valuable content but will also help us reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you!

ABOUT MICHAEL AICHHOLZER

Michael Aichholzer served in the Royal Australian Navy for 35 years. At the age of 15, Michael, a technical sailor from rural Queensland, Australia, enlisted in the Navy. In order to continue serving in a Director-level job within the Australian Public Service, he switched to the Naval Reserve in 2012. 

Additionally, he works for Menslink, a charity based in Canberra that supports young men going through difficult times. Michael has mentored young men and played a key role in developing and implementing an educational program that aids male teenagers in establishing and sustaining healthy relationships with others and with themselves.

He frequently presents topics related to mental health to adult groups.

As a leader you know there's a need to establish and enforce standards in order to create a successful company. But what is the best way of setting and maintaining good standards for business growth?

In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, I chat with Andrew Balmaks, a former member of the Australian Army for 22 years and now Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of the Noetic Group, a professional services company working with government, national security and defence, emergency services, and resources sectors.  

Andrew shares the leadership lessons and influences while in the Australian Army.  He draws upon his experience to provide advice for business owners on how to establish and maintain standards for success in the workplace.

Our conversation provides a unique perspective on how to successfully run a business and the importance of setting standards.

If you're looking for ways to improve your business or establish standards for greater business growth, this episode is for you.

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Leadership influences and experiences in Andrew’s life (04:39)
• Things that Andrew wished he knew before (09:29)
• Andrew’s experiences in the Middle East operations (11:07)
• The biggest lesson Andrew has learned while in service (14:36)
• Andrew’s transition from the military to the business world (17:11)
• What keeps a partnership strong? (18:50)
• Strategically growing your business (22:01)
• Creating a clear business goal (25:15)
• Andrew’s advice to leaders today (26:45)
• Rapid fire questions with Andrew (31:17)

Quotes

“Your hope is not a strategy. You need to take control of the situation as difficult as that is.” -Andrew Balmaks

“What everybody expects out of you as a leader is to do your job, and the best thing that you can do is to earn their respect.” -Andrew Balmaks

“Leadership is a verb, not a noun. You need to think about doing things, not writing down.” -Andrew Balmaks

“It's very easy as a leader or CEO of a business to forget to look in the mirror or to have somebody hold the mirror in front of you to show exactly what's going on.” -Martin Brooker

“It’s important to be clear for people to understand where we're going. If we're not clear, then people will be confused, and they won't know where to apply the effort.” -Martin Brooker

“You've got to be in integrity with who you are at the end of the day.” -Martin Brooker

WHERE TO FIND ANDREW BALMAKS

• Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn.
• Visit Noetic Group here. 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW THE FRONTLINE TO BOARDROOM PODCAST 

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Frontline To Boardroom podcast. If the information in any of our conversations and interviews has helped you in your business journey, please head over to Apple Podcasts, click the 3 dots in the top right corner of your smartphone screen, follow the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver valuable content but will also help us reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you!

ABOUT ANDREW BALMAKS

As an infantry officer, Andrew Balmaks served in the Australian Army for more than 22 years.

While serving in the Army, Andrew travelled to Iran and Iraq for operational duty with the UN and represented the Army in Southeast Asia, the US, and the UK. He held positions in command, training, and staff, and as the first Chief of Army Fellow, he was seconded for a year to the East Asia-focused Asia-Australia Institute.

Today, Andrew serves as the Noetic Group's chief executive officer and co-founder. He and his co-founder spent more than 20 years building the company from its inception into a preeminent medium-sized professional services provider that works with the government, national security and defence, emergency services, and resources sectors.

WARNING 

We do talk about suicide in this episode, which I know can be distressing. So if you need resources then please seek those out in your location. 

If in Australia go to beyondblue.org or you for 24 hour free counselling in Australia, the number for Lifeline is 13 11 14, please look after yourself.
Starting a business is no easy task and takes hard work, dedication, and plenty of grit to succeed. For those who are willing to put in the effort and go all in, the payoff can be immense. 

In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, I chat with Tim Walmsley, a former member of the Australian Army for 13 years and now the owner and founder of BenchOn, a tech platform that automatically matches government and enterprise’s demand for talent, products and services to the businesses that have the right capability and capacity to support.

Tim shares his leadership insights and challenges while serving in the Army on operations and leading his troops through difficult times. He also discusses how his experience in the Army helped him to transition into his own business and has some advice for those thinking of starting their own.

In our conversation, Tim shares how he started his business, BenchOn, going literally all in. He takes us through the challenges of entrepreneurship and starting a business and how he dealt with them. Indeed, his determination and dedication to making BenchOn a success are evident in everything he does.

If you’re thinking of starting your own business or are already on the entrepreneurial journey, this is the episode for you!

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• How Tim’s career shaped his life? (04:49)
• Doing things the smarter way (09:27)
• Leadership influences in Tim’s life (10:41)
• The biggest lesson Tim learned while in service (14:46)
• Suicide within the military (15:33)
• Tim’s transition from military to the corporate world (18:43)
• Challenges that Tim has been facing in business (25:10)
• Tim’s advice to those who want to be a leader (37:49)
• Rapid-fire questions with Tim (39:56)

Quotes

“Leadership isn't about following a manual, it's not about following the steps in the leadership book that you read, it's about doing what you know is right, and getting involved and being invested.” -Tim Walmsley

“No matter who you're speaking to, be who you need to be in that conversation.” -Tim Walmsley

“It's not all about you, it's about the team.” -Tim Walmsley

“When you see people that are challenged in the moment, rather than stepping in to take over, reinforce with them that they've actually got what it takes, and encourage them to just take a breath.” -Martin Brooker


.RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Lifeline
  
  

WHERE TO FIND TIM WALMSLEY

• Connect with Tim on LinkedIn.
• Visit Tim’s website here. 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW THE FRONTLINE TO BOARDROOM PODCAST 

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Frontline To Boardroom podcast. If the information in any of our conversations and interviews has helped you in your business journey, please head over to Apple Podcasts, click the 3 dots in the top right corner of your smartphone screen, follow the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver valuable content but will also help us reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you!

ABOUT TIM WALMSLEY

Tim Walmsley, an Australian Army veteran with 13 years of service, joined the Army rather later in life.

Tim led an air defense and surveillance team that provided early warning and drone capacity throughout his combat deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He left the Army in 2015 as a Major and transitioned into the defense industry, concentrating on strategy and business development for a company that specializes in aerospace engineering.

Tim sold his home and put everything on the line to launch BenchOn. In a nutshell, BenchOn is a software platform that automatically connects enterprises with the necessary capability and capacity to fulfill government and corporate demand for people, goods, and services. They currently assist some of the greatest names in local government, defense, and more, in addition to over 3000 defense enterprises.

Jenni shares how she has navigated her career as a woman in a male-dominated industry and how she is working to support other women to do the same. She also shares her thoughts on why gender balance in leadership positions is so important and how we can achieve it.

In our conversation, we talk about the importance of having grit and determination to break through and call out inequity. Indeed, Jenni’s career is a great example of what can be achieved when you set your mind to it and don’t take no for an answer.

If you're a woman considering a career in a male-dominated industry, or if you're already working in one, this episode is for you.

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Leadership influences in Jenni’s life (04:18)
• Establishing a career in a male-dominated profession  (06:32)
• Why building a network is important(15:49)
• The challenge of being a mother in the Navy (17:01)
• Taking up leadership roles within an organisation as a woman (20:53)
• Jenni’s biggest lesson from the Navy (24:21)
• What is gender mainstreaming? (39:23)
• Jenni’s book, “Against the Wind” (45:17)
• Rapid fire questions with Jenni (51:50)

Quotes

“Gender equality is not a matter of political correctness, it's actually an operational imperative.” -Jenni Wittwer

“At the end of the day, in our work environments, in our communities, in our home, it's humans working together to achieve some kind of outcome.” -Martin Brooker

“Equality is not about treating people the same. It's about ensuring that everybody has equal access to opportunities, resources, power and control, regardless of the gender, and regardless of their diversity.” -Jenni Wittwer



.RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Against The Wind: How Women Can Be Their Authentic Selves In Male-Dominated Professions by Jennifer Wittwer 
  
  

WHERE TO FIND JENNI WITTWER

• Connect with Jenni on LinkedIn.
• Visit Jenni’s website here. 
• Women Veteran’s Australia 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW THE FRONTLINE TO BOARDROOM PODCAST 

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Frontline To Boardroom podcast. If the information in any of our conversations and interviews has helped you in your business journey, please head over to Apple Podcasts, click the 3 dots in the top right corner of your smartphone screen, follow the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver valuable content but will also help us reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you!


ABOUT JENNI WITTWER

Over 37 years of service in the Australian Defense Force and Royal Australian Navy make Jenni Wittwer a veteran. Although Jenni's career began in marine logistics, she eventually changed course to become a respected strategic human resource professional.

ADF and the larger defense and national security sector were led in implementing the United Nations (UN) Women Peace and Security agenda, spearheading the establishment of the Navy's Strategic Women's Advisor, and undertaking extensive cultural and workplace transformation. Jenni became the first gender advisor for the Australian Defence Force during an operational deployment to Afghanistan in 2013. Jenni's last ADF position saw her serving as a policy expert on peacekeeping and sexual exploitation and abuse at UN Women in New York.

Since ceasing to work full-time, Jen has written a course on sexual violence in conflict and gender equality in peacekeeping for the Peace Operations Training Institute (POTI) in the United States and contracted with UN Women Ukraine to establish a training framework on gender and WPS. For the period of 2019 to 2022, Jennifer is under contract with UN Women Jordan to develop the sector of security's capacity for gender mainstreaming.

Jenni has written extensively on gender equality, women's participation in the security sector, and women's roles in peace and security efforts. She is an international consultant, author, and speaker on gender and Women, Peace and Security. In 2020, she will release her first book, Against the Wind: How Women Can Be Their Authentic Selves in Male-Dominated Professions.

Jenni is a lifelong learner who is enrolled in the University of Canberra's Master of International Development program. Jenni was chosen to serve as an ambassador for the Australian Women in Business Awards and a non-executive director on the board of the International Women's Development Agency. She also serves as Chair of Women Veterans Australia, a member of the advisory board for Women in International Security Australia, and a certified coach.

Ric describes his transformational leadership experiences from the Navy and why his work was much more than just logistics. His navy career has taken him to some interesting places, Cambodia is one of them. It was a huge opportunity and responsibility for Ric as a leader to have a positive influence on the community.

During his time in Iraq, Ric observed first hand what he describes as a rub point. In this case it was the internal enemy of competing interests. Sometimes the enemy’s not the insurgents but instead it’s the clash different cultures in an organisation. He realised the importance as a leader of being able to communicate with the people around him and comprehend their point of view. 

Ric also shares the sentiment that there are a  lot of skills taken for granted in the military that can transfer to business outside of it and be extremely helpful. If you want to learn more about the wisdom Ric gained in service and how he brings them into play in the corporate world and maximise a team's potential, be sure to listen to the episode.

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Ric’s journey of joining the Royal Australian Navy (02:43)
• What he looked forward to as a career in the Navy (05:21)
• Leadership influences Ric’s formative years in the Navy (07:15)
• Ric’s transformative leadership experience in Cambodia (13:09)
• The enemy of competing interests (19:48)
• Confronting situations in Cambodia and the lessons they impart (28:45)
• Ric’s turning point for leaving the Navy and transition to corporate (36:49)
• What’s keeping Ric busy and how he utilises his leadership lessons (39:27) 
• Ric’s advice to leaders today (42:03) 
• Rapid-fire questions with Ric Leahy (50:35)

Quotes

“It's amazing what you can accomplish when you do not care who gets the credit.” -Harry S. Truman

“Catch someone doing something right.” -Terry Leahy (Ric’s father)

“We can all work hard but if you can get lots of people working hard, then you achieve so much more.” -Ric Leahy

“Being able to relate to people in their own language is super useful.” -Ric Leahy 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect by Matthew D. Lieberman 

WHERE TO FIND RIC LEAHY

• Connect with Ric on LinkedIn.
• Visit People Teams Leaders here. 
• Learn more about XEd Space here.

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW THE FRONTLINE TO BOARDROOM PODCAST Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Frontline To Boardroom podcast. If the information in any of our conversations and interviews has helped you in your business journey, please head over to Apple Podcasts, click the 3 dots in the top right corner of your smartphone screen, follow the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver valuable content but will also help us reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you!
ABOUT RIC LEAHYRic Leahy is a veteran of twenty-one years’ service in the Royal Australian Navy as a logistics officer; although his military experience was much more than pure logistics. With major unit command under his belt, Ric’s military experience also includes three separate deployments on active service in Iraq, East Timor, and Cambodia; exchange duty with the United States Navy; and two years as the research officer to the Chief of Navy. 
Ric’s leadership skills were honed in a range of demanding challenges both in the Navy as well as executive education. Backed up with intellectual curiosity, Ric has had great success in helping organisations develop individual and group potential. 
Ric works extensively with Melbourne Business School as a Program Director and is one of three co-founders of an executive education company bringing the globally renowned Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) programs and research to Australia, New Zealand the South - West Pacific. 
In both his own companies and with Melbourne Business School, Ric has been instrumental in working directly with client organisations at Board, Executive, and Management levels to design and implement high impact programs that meet their needs. 
In addition to Ric’s professional experience, he is an accomplished screenwriter and prize winning, published author.

Today, more than ever before, employers are recognising the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. However, there's still work to be done when it comes to hiring employees with disabilities. Why is this the case? And what can we do to change it? 

In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, I chat with David Smith, a former Royal Australian Navy Maritime Warfare Officer and now the Managing Director of Employ for Ability Pty Ltd a neurodiversity employment specialist.  David shares personal stories of leadership from his early times in the Navy, and how he transitioned to a consulting career. 

David has always been passionate about neurodiversity, especially in the workplace.  In fact, he has made it his mission to raise awareness about the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and to help others with disabilities find meaningful employment.

In our conversation, David reminded me of what is important in life and the impact social purpose can have on our community. He also discussed the unique challenges that people with disabilities face when searching for employment and some of the common misconceptions about hiring employees with disabilities.

If you want to learn more about David and his work, or if you're looking for advice on how to make your workplace more inclusive, be sure to listen to this episode!

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• David’s story of joining the Royal Australian Navy (01:09)
• Leadership influences in David’s life (03:12)
• David’s experiences going aground in a Destroyer (05:16)
• The highlights of David’s Navy career (09:23)
• Leadership lessons David learned from the Navy (13:01)
• David’s transition to the corporate career (17:57)
• What does it take to change career direction? (22:44)
• How to become partners in life and in business? (25:24)
• Neurodiversity in the workplace (31:04)
• How to make recruitment more effective (36:28)
• David’s advice to leaders today (38:26)
• Rapid-fire questions with David Smith (42:59)

Quotes

“Everybody has different periods of mental anguish in their careers and learning as a manager, how to work with that, and support people are really important.” -David Smith

“Autism is not a disability. It's a different ability.” -David Smith

“It's more important that you're bringing the team together and pointing them in the right direction than being the subject matter expert or the cleverest person in the room.” -David Smith

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Sylvan Learning Systems
• NASDAQ
• Good to Great by Jim Collins
• Oxford Advanced Management and Leadership Program

WHERE TO FIND DAVID SMITH

• Connect with David on LinkedIn.
• Visit Employ For Ability here. 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW THE FRONTLINE TO BOARDROOM PODCAST Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Frontline To Boardroom podcast. If the information in any of our conversations and interviews has helped you in your business journey, please head over to Apple Podcasts, click the 3 dots in the top right corner of your smartphone screen, follow the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver valuable content but will also help us reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you!
ABOUT DAVID SMITHDavid Smith joined the Royal Australian Navy inspired by the Australian television drama Patrol Boat in the 80s. His career saw him qualify as a Maritime Warfare Officer serving in frigates, patrol boats and landing craft. 
After ten years, a decision to leave full-time service led to a consulting career in leadership roles in professional services and the recruitment sector. David is a natural in-house entrepreneur and applied those skills to support the growth of several highly successful IT recruitment businesses.
While attending the Oxford University Advanced Management and Leadership Program, an opportune exploration of social purpose and solving wicked problems led David to study further and a research paper on neurodiversity in employment. It was a light bulb moment when he clarified his purpose to become a neurodiversity specialist. 
In 2019, together with his wife Anne, they founded Employ for Ability to show organisations that people with an ASD diagnosis and other neurodiverse conditions are not disabled but different (as all people are different) and can provide organisations with a competitive advantage. 
David’s work has assisted government and private sector clients employing over 150 neurodiverse people and helped those people gain employment where others have tried and not achieved results. 
In 2019 David was awarded an Outstanding Alumnus Award from Oxford University for his work on Neurodiversity employment. 
In 2022, Employ for Ability is the ACT Winner in the Telstra Best of Business awards under building communities.
David has completed post-graduate qualifications in Autism, Organisational Development, Training and Development and has an undergrad degree in Science from UNSW ADFA. David completed the Oxford University Advanced Management and Leadership Program in 2016.