In this episode, our host Ash Bhardwaj sits down with Major Robin White of The Rifles to explore the intricacies of leadership through the lens of a seasoned military professional. Robin shares his journey from commissioning into the Light Infantry in 2006 to commanding roles in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Robin's career has taken him from frontline deployments on OP TELIC 13 in Iraq and OP HERRICK 15 in Afghanistan to pivotal staff roles at NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps and The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Through these experiences, he offers insights into how humility, 360-degree feedback, and effective delegation are essential to leadership development.

Robin also highlights how fostering enjoyment in leadership, alongside building a sense of identity and fairness within a team, can inspire individuals to excel. His stories and lessons provide a comprehensive look at what it takes to lead successfully under pressure.

Join us as we dive into the vital aspects of leadership, from accepting feedback to building motivated teams that thrive.

In this episode, our host Ash Bhardwaj speaks with Maj Charlie Ruggles-Brise and WO1 Dai Chant of 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards, “The Welsh Cavalry.” We explore the intricacies of leadership and development through the unique perspectives of two military professionals who have worked closely together since early on in their careers.

Charlie and Dai first crossed paths on Op HERRICK 9 in Afghanistan, when Dai was a junior vehicle commander and Charlie was a new Troop Leader. Their collaboration grew, eventually leading them to command A Squadron, with Charlie as Squadron Leader and Dai as Squadron Sergeant Major.

Dai highlights how developing individuals often happens "in the margins," where leaders adapt their styles to meet the unique needs of their team members. Charlie emphasises the importance of taking teams on the decision-making journey, noting how communication and transparency are vital to effective leadership.

This episode is unique in that it brings together perspectives from both the commissioned and non-commissioned career pathways, offering a comprehensive look at what it takes to lead effectively.

Join us as we explore how leadership is about more than just making decisions, it's about understanding your team, adapting in the margins, and leading with unity.

In this episode our host, Ash Bhardwaj, speaks to Colonel Jax Powell. Colonel Powell joined the Army in 1994, commissioning into the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC). She has served on operations in the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan and Mali. She has also held several Staff roles including stints at the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), Army Headquarters, Home Command, and at the Development Concepts Doctrine Centre. Her junior career included a tenure as a Platoon Commander at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) and, more recently, she has been an Officer Commanding (OC) of an RLC subunit on Op HERRICK in Afghanistan, and the Commanding Officer (CO) of 25 training regiment. Since joining the General Staff, Col Powell has been Deputy Commandant RMAS and Commander University Officer Training Corps (UOTC). Col Jax will be the next Corps Colonel for the RLC. In this episode, we discuss ‘being scared of being scared’ on operations, and how being open about fearing fear is not something to be ashamed of. Col Jax also speaks ablut emotional intelligence and how different people have different requirements based on the context of a situation, and how understanding others emotions, as well as your own, in high-pressure situations is crucial to good leadership. She recognises the importance of kindness in leadership, yet balancing this with the necessity to remove emotion and be transactional when applying discipline.