‘Leadership is a team game’
Some 300 people attended the Leadership Talks on 17 February 2023 in Thun. Four guest speakers and Chief of the Armed Forces Lieutenant General Thomas Süssli took turns to share their thoughts on the various facets of leadership. The key question was ‘What makes a true leader?’
What makes a leader? How do they succeed? How do they generate enthusiasm and motivation? These were the main questions addressed at the 2023 Leadership Talks organised by Lieutenant General Thomas Süssli, Chief of the Swiss Armed Forces. Four speakers were invited to discuss these questions: Professor Aristomenis Exadaktylos (Switzerland), director of the emergency department of the University Hospital Bern (Inselspital); Lauren Schulz (USA), director of corporate communications at Verizon and former lieutenant colonel in the US Marines; Rolf Dobelli (Switzerland), best-selling author and entrepreneur; Simon Sinek (USA), internationally renowned British-American writer and lecturer.
Lieutenant General Süssli and the guest speakers were quick to agree on what makes for a true leader. A true leader is a person who is capable of managing crises, who takes responsibility for their team, explains and coordinates objectives and, above all, defines their ultimate objective and shares their vision for attaining it. In addition, they are humble, value a positive error and feedback culture and delegate responsibility to their staff. That is why military leaders are often highly valued in the private sector.
Showing empathy
The first guest speaker was Professor Aristomenis Exadaktylos. He explained his vision of leadership in the medical emergency environment and drew parallels with the military. The key challenges, he said, included promoting a common vision, fostering teamwork, and improving personal communication skills, because in the healthcare sector – as in the military – the focus is on the individual. Like a military leader, a doctor must show empathy and understand human emotions.
A clear image of purpose
Lauren Schulz, a former lieutenant colonel in the US Marines, currently works as director of corporate communications for the US telecommunications giant Verizon. She confirms that military experience has helped her a lot in her career and that the skills of a military leader are also of fundamental value in a company. Lauren Schulz stressed the importance of having a clear vision: “A leader must have a clear vision of success. Their job is to then translate this vision into a tangible objective for their staff.ˮ Ms Schulz went on to share an experience from the pandemic: “When the coronavirus crisis suddenly broke out, we were isolated but well trained and well connected. This enabled everyone to use their respective skills to achieve common goals.ˮ
The armed forces rely on talent, not luck
Rolf Dobelli holds a PhD and studied economics and philosophy at the University of St Gallen before becoming an entrepreneur and author. In his address on what makes a leader, he warned the audience against creating stereotypes and holding prejudices. He also made a clear distinction between luck and talent, and pointed out the danger of cognitive bias and the importance of clarity of thought. In the military, as in medicine, talent is more important than luck: a true leader demonstrates clarity of action backed up by numbers, data or facts, and is not hostage to outside influences. In his book The Art of Thinking Clearly he describes a leader as a person who can think clearly and who does not repeat their own mistakes, but learns from those of others.
Leadership is a team game
A good leader does not tell you how you should act but conveys the right attitude. The well-known British-American author and lecturer Simon Sinek reminded the audience that confidence and leadership are closely linked: “Great leaders know how to build a winning team and they also know how to ask for help. A military leader knows that he or she does not have all the necessary skills and is therefore aware of the importance of working together. Do you know of any elite athlete who does not have someone to help him or her improve?ˮ, he asked. Hence, a good leader fosters the collective, helps others in case of difficulties and asks others for suggestions and constructive criticism to improve his or her team.
After a two-hour podium discussion, a final discussion took place moderated by Lieutenant Colonel GS Mathias Müller. The guest speakers and the Chief of the Armed Forces once again emphasised the value of leadership. Lieutenant General Süssli pointed out that leadership plays a fundamental role in the Armed Forces and is one of the elements of the Vision 2030 strategy. In conclusion, he announced his intention to hold the event again in 2024 with different guest speakers.