Lessons of a leader – “How you treat people will have the largest effect on your ability to lead”
General Rick Hillier held Canada’s highest military position, Chief of the Defence Staff, from February 4, 2005 to July 1, 2008. He spoke to Ivey’s MBA class in March, sharing with them his top qualities of a leader – toughness, optimism and a sense of humour.
General Hillier’s leadership style is embodied in his decision to spend half of everyday outside of his office. Throughout three decades as a soldier and a leader, he has learned that building a strong “human network” should be the highest priority for any organization. The creation of new processes or technologies is futile if you have not established a loyal network of employees to use them.
General Hillier believes in the premise that “actions have the largest impact.” The strength of a leader’s message comes not from the words they speak but from their actions that follow. He talked about a tour of Afghanistan when he met a group of soldiers who had been under mortar fire. They were frustrated because they couldn’t bring the necessary equipment to an observation point. General Hillier travelled to a nearby village and purchased a donkey to carry the equipment to where they needed it. This soldier-first approach to leadership spread throughout the ranks.
General Hillier also used an unconventional approach when Stanley Cup visited Afghanistan. The National Hockey League had mandated that the Cup should remain inside the airport base to ensure its safety. However, General Hillier wanted all Canadian troops – even those on patrol – to have a chance to experience the national treasure. He drafted a temporary document that administratively increased the size of Kandahar airport to include all areas of deployment in Afghanistan. That way, as many troops as possible were able to have a photo with the Cup.
The ability to support his “human network” with the same commitment they had supported him made General Hillier an exemplary leader on both a national and international scale. “As a leader, your credibility is your centre of gravity. Without trust, people will not follow you.”