The secrets of leadership...by the Army's only female Brigadier
Nicky Moffat,CBE, former director of HR and the highest ranking female officer during a 27-year career in the British Army, shared her secrets of good leadership with delegates in a compelling presentation.
She was the only woman to reach the rank of Brigadier - the other 200 were men – battling against initial low self-belief and prejudiced attitudes to earn the respect of “my soldiers”.
She said the key lessons she had learned included:
Develop knowledge-based self-confidence – being able to answer questions correctly makes you more credible
Be clear where you are heading – and have a clear vision
Make well-considered and timely decisions
Set the highest attainable standards and then lead by example
Give clear directions – you are far more likely to get results when you communicate effectively
Empower your workers – with a ‘what, not how’ approach
Build your teams and develop your people
Be balanced, consistent and fair
Celebrate success and value everyone’s contribution.
Nicky used a video from the Australian Army to illustrate the power of clear leadership which included the line: "The standards you walk past are the standards you accept."
