What every leader can learn from the ANZAC spirit
Among the wattle leaves and wreaths that grace the Anzac memorials a lone trumpeter will announce the start of a new day; anyone who has ever attended a dawn service knows the overwhelming feelings of gratitude, calm, and togetherness that wash over you as soon as the first rays of light touch your skin.
Truly, there’s no holiday quite like Anzac Day, where we commemorate the people who made the ultimate sacrifice for the liberties we enjoy today. On this day, we’re reminded to pause, think, and reflect on that long road that has brought us to where we are now – both on a personal level and in the wider scheme of things.
Around this time of year, I often catch myself reminiscing about the values these unsung heroes have handed down to future generations, and how they have shaped me and the leader I am today. Here are the ones that have stuck with me the most over the years.
1. Humility
Growing up in Newcastle, our neighbour Ron Smith, a widower, was a returned serviceman. In true Aussie fashion, he would attend the Anzac Day dawn service and march every year, followed by a visit to the pub with his friends. Then, he would come by our house to have a beer with my father, who too had seen action during the war in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
The two would just sit in the afternoon sun and have a few beers together, never exchanging too many words. I guess, they just enjoyed being able to share each other’s company. Ron would often show me his war medals from the places he had been - from Europe to Africa, the Middle East, and passing through Port Moresby on the way home. But it wasn’t those medals that left the biggest impression on my younger self. In fact, what struck me most was no medal at all, but the man’s humility.
Only later, my father revealed to me that Ron had been awarded medals for gallantry in recognition for his bravery in the face of adversity. His quiet and humble personality, however, would never have let this on.
2. Resilience
As a young country coming of age, our happy-go-lucky nature was born of the hardship of our ancestors, including those brave souls who fought at Gallipoli. Though they faced terrible odds, they always remained well-spirited and ultimately enabled us to build the thriving Australia we live in today.
3. Compassion & Tolerance
I am thankful we live in a country where we are accepting of other cultures, where we enjoy diverse workplaces, and where most try to adapt this jovial Australian spirit into their work culture. As such, the Anzac teaches you to be tolerant and patient, to show compassion, and to be empathetic and sympathetic to other’s causes.
4. Respect
Another thing the Anzac spirit has taught me is the importance of having respect for one another. Years ago, when I worked in Adelaide, a staff member invited me to attend the dawn service in Glenelg. The event was followed by a generous breakfast cook-up in their home, which was attended by many immediate and extended family members and close friends. Among them were parents and grandparents who had served in World War II and Vietnam. I admired how each family member treated them with nothing but respect and pure reverence. Till this day I aim to do the same, not only with our veterans but with everyone I work with or encounter.
Anzac Day means many things to many people. For us leaders it should also mean trying to embrace compassion, take responsibility for the ones around you, and help where we can to remind ourselves and our team that we’re part of something greater than us – and that we should be grateful for it.