Frontline To Boardroom

Leadership is about the whole person. It goes beyond the uniform, the title, and all the recognitions. 

In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, I chat with James Harrap, a former Royal Australian Navy Submariner who now works as an independent consultant from his home in Anchorage, Alaska. James discusses his experiences as a submarine captain and shares tales from the deep.

James knew that he can achieve anything he sets his mind to. He made an early decision during high school that he was going to join the Navy and become a submarine captain. In his 19 years in the Navy, James learnt different key leadership lessons, including the need to be the whole person. His great mindset regarding leadership stems from having and maintaining a healthy professional curiosity. 

During our conversation, he shared an interesting story about his family’s connection with Winston Churchill as well as a very personal grit story inspired by his elder brother and how these have shaped his life and leadership thoughts. 

If you want to know more about James’ leadership lessons from the Navy, his transition to working in the corporate, and how he handles volatile situations, tune in to this episode and learn from James’ life and vast experience.   

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• James’ story of joining the Royal Australian Navy (02:40)
• The learning point of his career (04:25)
• Connection to Winston Churchill (05:40)
• Leadership influences in his early career (08:22)
• His journey as a submarine captain (11:05)
• James’ personal story about his brother (15:10)
• The key lesson he learnt in the Navy (17:58)
• Top lessons from the Navy that is useful in the corporate (29:15)
• What did the corporate teach him that the Navy didn't? (31:55)
• Advice for people leaning into leadership (34:38)
• The value of having professional curiosity (37:13)
• Rapid-fire questions with James Harrap (39:25)

Quotes

"I don't believe that leadership is something people are born with, but I believe it's something people can develop throughout their lives." -James Harrap 

"All great leaders are people just like anybody else, and they are people in a situation." -James Harrap

"One of the key elements of leadership is understanding your team and environment and being so clear about the aim or command." - James Harrap

"In battles, we need heroes, in business heroes are a single point of weakness." -Peter Drucker

"Farming looks mighty easy when your plough, is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field."-Dwight D. Eisenhower


RESOURCES MENTIONEDCommander in Chief: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War
WHERE TO FIND JAMES HARRAPConnect with James on LinkedIn

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 JAMES HARRAPJames Harrap served for 19 years in the Royal Australian Navy as a Submariner.   He dreamt of being a Submariner from an early age, and it was clear then that James would achieve whatever he set his mind to, and he did exactly that with his career in the Australian Navy’s Submarine Force. 
His career culminated with highly successful Command of submarines HMAS Collins and HMAS Waller 2010-2012. Since leaving the Navy, James had a number of roles in the oil and gas industry internationally, deeply involved in supply chain management, global strategy, organizational design, and change management. 
He now works as an independent consultant from his home in Alaska, providing specialist advice on issues such as asset improvement, inventory optimization, business development, and digital innovation. 

Leadership regardless of the industry requires knowing the people you’re leading. It’s challenging to lead people when your goals and values are not aligned. 

In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, I chat with Brendan O’Shannassy, a Maritime Warfare Officer who now sails the world as a Superyacht Captain. Brendan shares his experience as a superyacht captain: life and leadership in the world’s most incredible industry.

Brendan joined the Royal Australian Navy at the age of 17 and shifted to the commercial Maritime Industry after 10 years service. Despite his achievements from his naval career, Brendan started from the bottom again and work his way up in this transition.

Through his career, Brendan learnt the value of communicating and knowing his team on a deeper level. He does this by asking three questions meant to unravel barriers and create meaningful connections. The serendipity of these connections is the ability to make fast and efficient decisions that positively impact his crew. 

If you want to learn more about Brendan’s incredible ocean adventures filled with humbling experiences, tune in to the episode and see how it taught him to sail better in leadership and life.

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Brendan’s story of joining  the Royal Australian Navy (01:10)
• His leadership influences early in  his career (02:35)
• Leadership experiences in his early career (03:45)
• Where did his career end up taking him? (06:12)
• The value of listening to his true voice (09:37)
• The humbling transition from naval service to corporate career (16:33)
• The beginning of his Superyacht career (20:55)
• Ability to communicate and the importance of knowing his people (22:40)
• Approaching a diverse team by getting three questions deep (28:42)
• The significance of decision-making in fast and slow emergencies (34:29)
• Tips for people starting with their leadership roles (39:33)
• Rapid-fire questions with Brendan O'Shannassy (47:50)

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Superyacht Captain: Life and leadership in the world's most incredible industry
• Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell
• Eric Bana

WHERE TO FIND BRENDAN O’SHANNASSY

• Connect with Brendan on LinkedIn.

https://katanamaritime.com/who/ 
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!

We can experience positive or negative leadership but ultimately, we decide what impacts our lives. In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, the conversation centres on human factors in leadership - lessons from an experienced military and commercial aviator.

Martin speaks with Peter Lipsett, a former colleague in the Royal Australian Navy who transitioned from his service career after almost 20 years into commercial aviation as a pilot with QANTAS.  Peter has always been fascinated with flying and continuing to fly after his career in the Navy was an obvious choice.  

Peter shares his experiences of leadership styles from his flying career and his insights on the importance of leaders prioritising service and developing a connection with the team. He also realised that no amount of equipment will help if the team is not in the right place.

In the conversation, we are taken to a decisive moment in Peter’s flying career when the crew of an AIRBUS 330 are faced with a mid-air emergency; it is a moment when all of his training and practical techniques are put to the ultimate test. The incident reinforces Peter’s leadership lessons from the cockpit were upholding the authority gradient and creating an environment where everyone is encouraged to speak up saves lives. 

So, if you’re looking for valuable insights and inspiring ways of how to lead your crew or team, be sure to listen to the episode.

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why Peter joined the navy? (02:57)
• Leadership influences early in his career (03:47)
• Peter’s leadership experiences from his Navy career (04:45)
• The beginning of his flying career in the navy (07:47)
• The value of creating connections and forming teams quickly (09:57)
• What is it like to transition into commercial flying? (13:07)
• The importance of authority gradient and the willingness to speak up (17:20)
• Working through ‘what-if' situations and threat and error management (22:33)
• Why a business contingency plan matters  (25:05)
• The mid-air crisis that Peter experienced (26:11)
• What's next for Peter? (32:02)
• His advice for young and emerging leaders (32:48)
• Rapid-fire questions with Peter Lipsett (35:30)

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Books by James Reason
  • Human Error
  • A Life in Error: From Little Slips to Big Disasters
  • Managing the Risks of Organizational Accidents
  • Organizational Accidents Revisited
  • The Human Contribution: Unsafe Acts, Accidents and Heroic Recoveries
  
  

WHERE TO FIND PETER LIPSETT

• Connect with Peter on LinkedIn.

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!

Some people are born leaders. They have the innate ability to inspire others and make things happen. But leadership is not a quality that can be learned overnight. It takes time and practice to develop the skills necessary to lead effectively.  

In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, Martin chats with Boris Novak, who, from being an Electrical Engineering Officer in the Royal Australian Air Force, has successfully established his own business where he develops breakthrough capabilities in real-time analytics with big data and machine learning.

With his 15 years of experience in the Royal Australian Air Force, Boris learnt that leadership is all about making positive changes. For him, focusing on maintaining organisational health and being just raw and real is very important for leadership. 

In its simplest form, being a leader means empowering people. It means giving people the tools they need to succeed and be happy in their work. It means creating a culture of trust where people feel safe taking risks and making mistakes. And it means being willing to listen and learn from others. 

When leaders focus on empowering their team members, good things happen: creativity flourishes, productivity increases, and everyone feels valued. So if you're looking for ways to become a more effective leader, this episode is for you.

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• How Boris ended up joining the military (02:20)
• Influences in Boris’ military life (03:10)
• Leadership lessons that Boris has learned while on the Air Force (06:36)
• Forgiveness is easier than permission (7:06)
• Why it helps to take other roles (10:15)
• What makes military leadership and corporate leadership different (14:50)
• Role of innovation and technology in leadership (19:40)
• How to create a culture of innovation (21:58)
• How to ensure that quality people stay in an organisation (24:46)
• Why is integrity important in leadership (29:15)
• Boris’ leadership advice (32:00)
• Rapid fire questions with Boris (36:48)

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else In Business

CONNECT WITH MARTINConnect on LinkedIn
Email Martin [email protected] 
WHERE TO FIND BORIS NOVAK

• Connect with Boris on LinkedIn.
• https://hunternet.com.au

 
​​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!

It is a gift when leaders take perspective, women are a significant part of the Navy and the military today but it wasn’t always that way.  

In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, Martin chats with Pam Price, a military educator who broke barriers early in her career, with first-hand perspectives of being a woman in a male-dominated environment. Pam served the Navy for almost 20 years across a range of different leadership roles that exposed her to opportunities outside technical training fields including development of Leadership and Management curriculum and staff roles in procurement and project management. With her years of experience, Pam shares what it takes to be a good-to-great leader. 

For Pam, leadership is not about knowing everything. Instead, it's about being able to attract the right people, listening to them, and then taking their ideas and turning them into something great. It's about setting an example and inspiring others to achieve more than they ever thought possible. 

Pam also shares her experience while in the Navy and how she transitioned when she decided to leave. So, if you are looking for inspiration around your long term career in the long term and taking on more leadership roles, then this episode is for you.   

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Pam’s journey to joining the Navy (02:00) 
• Breaking the norms (4:00)
• Inclusivity of women in the Navy (06:00)
• Taking every opportunity presented (08:18)
• The barriers Pam encountered (09:50)
• Pam’s roles in the Navy (13:45)
• Leadership lessons learned in the Navy (17:20)
• The transition from Navy to Corporate (27:24)
• Gearing yourself into a different path (31:00)
• What is strategic leadership (35:38)
• Taking more leadership roles (39:00)
• Withstanding the pressure to solve the problem now (46:00)
• The power of ‘5 whys’ (47:20)

QUOTES“You can do whatever you want to do in life. Don’t let the norm bound you.” -Pam Price

“Don’t be afraid that you don’t know everything. You don’t have to know everything.” -Pam Price

“Take the time to understand a problem before you jump into a solution.” -Pam Price
RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Six Sigma Training 
• Good to Great

CONNECT WITH MARTINConnect on LinkedIn
Email Martin [email protected] 
WHERE TO FIND PAM PRICE
Connect with Pamela on LinkedIn. 
​​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!

There is no checklist for success when it comes to leadership. What works for one person may not work for another, and what might be successful in one organisation may not be successful in another.  

In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, Martin chats with Chris Huet, who has taken his hard-won leadership experience into business development, consulting and leadership communications.  

With his years of experience in the Air Force, Chris knew exactly what it takes to be a good leader. He believes that leadership isn’t a checklist because  you can’t expect to just follow a set of steps and expect everything to turn out perfectly. 

Because every situation is unique, leadership is all about making quick decisions based on the information you have and adapting as needed. It’s not about following a script – it’s about being creative, innovative, and resourceful. 

Chris also talks about his achievements as a poet, including winning the 2012 Australian Poetry Slam Champion. If you are into leadership, communication, and poetry at the same time, this episode is for you!

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• What it takes to be a fighter pilot (02:45)
• The leadership influences in Chris’ life (03:47)
• Leadership highlights as a fighter pilot (06:03)
• The biggest lessons Chris learned in his military career (10:23)
• Lessons that Chris learned in the Air Force that he has applied in the corporate world (14:55)
• Chris’ love for poetry (17:28)
• How poetry can help with communication (18:44)
• Chris’ advice about leadership (20:40)
• Who has influenced Chris in the corporate world (21:48)
• Creating a brand in leadership (23:17)
• Lessons Chris learned since he left the Air Force (25:27)
• How to develop your network (28:00)
• Challenges in communication (29:22)

QUOTES“Look for people who you might be able to learn from, or you might be able to share things with and go from there.” -Chris Huet

“Listen first before you speak.” -Chris Huet

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Yeager: An Autobiography by Chuck Yeager
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

CONNECT WITH MARTINConnect on LinkedIn
Email Martin [email protected] 
WHERE TO FIND CHRIS HUET

• Connect with Chris on LinkedIn.
• Watch him on YouTube.
• Visit Chis’ website here.
• Know more about his business 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!

Leaders deal with crises all the time and are founded on their core leadership abilities.  
In this episode of Frontline to Boardroom, Martin chats with David Neal and Jonathan Clark; both who served in the Australian Army including operational service in Afghanistan. 
With their years of military service, David and Jonathan knew what leadership should look like from their experience on the battlefield. Now in the corporate sector, they are taking that experience and focus on the influence and impact you have with people.
In order to leave a lasting legacy, leaders make decisions that will benefit the whole team.Good leaders know that they have to act the way they want to be remembered. 
David and Jono share their lessons learned from the military and how they are applying this in helping businesses and organisations improve their people, processes, products and profile. They believe that when good leadership is in place, it motivates people to perform better, creates a better company culture, and leads to success.  
WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• What made David and Jono join the army? (00:20) 
• The leadership heroes they look up to (05:50)
• Command Presence - What is it, and how is it executed? (08:37)
• The instances where they fail as a leader in the military (10:40)
• Delivery vs Intent in communication - the difference and impact they create (16:30)
• How do leaders make better choices? (18:30) 
• David and Jonathan lived experience creating trust with their team in Afghanistan? (22:45) 
• The learnings from the military and how they apply it in business (31:20)
• The key factors that make their business relationship work (34:02)
• Their advice to business leaders living through a pandemic (39:40)
• The external support that has helped them get to where they are (44:00)
• Rapid-fire questions with David and Jonathan (51:57)

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• The Eight Mile Consulting
• 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos

CONNECT WITH MARTINConnect on LinkedIn
Email Martin [email protected] 
WHERE TO FIND DAVID NEAL

• Connect with David on LinkedIn.
• Visit his website here.

WHERE TO FIND JONATHAN CLARK

• Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn.

Visit his 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!

Military careers provide leadership lessons early. Being a leader is part of a military person’s DNA; our mistakes and critical lessons learned in the heat of the moment, help us to be better leaders for the next time. While those leadership lessons come from the operational frontline and being part of a team, the lessons also come from leading people every day wherever we serve, organisations that challenge us to create the right environment and get stuff done, where we need to be able to communicate with greater effect, and of course, being prepared to eat humble pie when we get it wrong and ultimately are prepared to laugh at ourselves too.
The Frontline to Boardroom podcast is where we share the leadership lessons from those who have served in the military and then taken that experience to succeed in the corporate sector.
It will be a safe space for inspiring conversations with successful leaders and business owners who have served their country. across the ranks, the services, gender, professional roles and creed, sharing their leadership lessons, stories and lived experiences; warts, and all. The stories from leading men and women in harm's way to their hard-won leadership lessons into their corporate careers.   

What makes this podcast unique is that everything you hear is based on experience. There’s no theory here, just raw conversations from truly inspiring and successful people. Our guests will not always be household names, but their impact as a leader will be clear and the conversations will explore the good, the bad and sometimes the ugly… 

In the upcoming episodes, I will be in conversation with ex-military leaders sharing their leadership lessons and then taking that experience to succeed in the corporate sector.

Get ready to be amazed because you're about to hear some of the most incredible success stories from the frontline and the boardroom…

We hope that you will find your own lessons as you deliver on the promise of leadership in your business, organisation, community or family.  Dive in, learn, and become a better leader!