Australia’s changing strategic environment is increasing pressure on Defence capability, with industry performance and leadership playing a central role in how effectively that capability is delivered. Leadership culture and decision-making in this context directly influence outcomes that extend beyond commercial success to operational effectiveness.
Australia is facing its most complex and uncertain strategic environment since the end of the Second World War, and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and other observers have unmasked the uncomfortable truth: we are not ready, and readiness won’t come from rhetoric alone. The strategic landscape has shifted, and this calls for a change in thinking and leadership.
The pace of military build-up in the Indo-Pacific is accelerating, great power competition is intensifying, and the idea that conflict is unthinkable no longer holds the same comfort it once did. If anything, conflict may be inevitable.
Australia’s Defence industry plays a critical role in meeting these challenges head on. Our collective purpose is to support those who protect Australia’s national interests through systems, infrastructure, and capability they can rely on under pressure. This purpose can’t be fulfilled through complacency or outdated leadership norms that give way to personal agendas and “us versus them” thinking. It requires collaboration, integrity, and courage at every level.
I’ve spent nearly 20 years in and around Defence, both in and out of uniform. I have operated some of the most advanced military equipment available (genuine 1990s technology), deployed on operations, and, along with my Squadron mates, set a couple of world records along the way. I have worked in small, niche companies providing specialist training directly to our people in uniform. I have also worked in Defence primes where strategy, delivery, and organisational performance intersect at scale. I have seen what happens when we get it right, and the results are truly world class.
Being right versus getting it right
When the stakes are high, the difference between being right and getting it right is critical. Being right often reflects ego-driven behaviour. It is about winning; proving that our idea, our team, or our company is the best, sometimes at the expense of others. It creates a win/lose dynamic that can lead to division, mistrust, and suboptimal outcomes.
Getting it right, on the other hand, reflects behaviour that is grounded in purpose and ethics. It’s about working together towards the greatest good with the least harm. It requires humility to listen, courage to admit when we’re wrong, and the discipline to stay aligned to our purpose, especially when it gets tough.
In the Defence industry, the consequences of prioritising ego over ethics can be severe. A system that arrives late, costs too much, or doesn’t work can impact operational effectiveness and, ultimately, cost lives.
Elevating leadership culture
In saying that, competition is part of life. Healthy industry competition is essential to growing a strong industrial base to secure Australia’s future. However, when we lose sight of our common purpose, the highly competitive nature of the Defence industry can quickly become adversarial.
Rubbishing competitors, defending silos, or prioritising short-term wins over long-term outcomes won’t deliver the capability needed to protect Australia’s interests.
Leadership, at every level, must shift toward purpose-driven action. This isn’t just about individual leaders; it’s about shaping leadership culture across the sector. Everyone plays a part in boardrooms, programs, teams, and partnerships.
Ethical, purpose-driven leadership doesn’t ignore commercial reality. Instead, it strengthens it. Purpose provides clarity and direction. It aligns teams, builds trust, and attracts the kind of talent and partnerships that sustain high performance. In the long term, purpose and profit are not mutually exclusive. They are mutually reinforcing.
These aren’t dramatic gestures. They’re everyday acts of leadership, anchored in clarity of purpose and ethical discipline.
The legacy we leave
Defence tends to define legacy by platforms delivered, contracts won, or growth achieved. Those are important performance indicators, though they don’t tell the full story. The real legacy of leadership is culture.
This is culture that is shaped by the standards we uphold, the clarity we provide, and how we show up in times of pressure and uncertainty. Will we be remembered as leaders who fought to be right—as leaders who chased the win, protected our turf, and let our egos guide us? Or will we be remembered as leaders who strived to get it right—leaders who delivered what was needed to protect our nation, and uphold the trust of the Australian people?
The Defence industry exists to serve those who serve us. We can meet the challenges ahead together by committing to lead ethically and strive, not to just be right, but to get it right.
