The Centre for Army Leadership

The Centre for Army Leadership We RESEARCH, DEVELOP, and DISTRIBUTE the British Army’s Leadership Doctrine

Mutual Understanding.Effective followers not only understand their roles, responsibilities and tasks, but also make them...
02/09/2026

Mutual Understanding.

Effective followers not only understand their roles, responsibilities and tasks, but also make themselves aware of the the changing environment in which they’re operating, as well as the demands placed upon their leaders. Supporting the leader and the team through responsible challenge and effective communication helps nurture this mutual understanding.

Interested in more? Check out the British Army Followership Doctrine Note on our website.

As leaders it’s important to remember that everyone can have good ideas - and fostering an environment of psychological ...
01/09/2026

As leaders it’s important to remember that everyone can have good ideas - and fostering an environment of psychological safety is the way to get the best out of everyone.

Without inclusion safety, followers can “switch off” and hold off contributing. No one puts their best into an environment that makes them feel they don’t belong.

Learner safety allows everyone to ask questions and gain understanding without fear. We’ve all heard the saying “there’s no such thing as a stupid question” - it’s our job to follow through as well!

Contributor safety creates collaboration and allows everyone to share ideas. More ideas, especially from diverse sources, is a force multiplier!

Challenge safety can be difficult for some, but ties into the challenge culture we’ve talked about before. Being a follower isn’t just following orders - it also means respectfully challenging leaders assumptions and providing alternate courses of action. A leader who shows they value feedback will help support achievement of the shared goal.

At the end of the day it’s about making sure your followers can talk honestly to you without fearing your reaction - combating groupthink, exploring alternatives and encouraging initiative.

Interested in more? Check out the Army Leadership Doctrine available for free on our website.

New episode of the Centre for Army Leadership Podcast out now!Dr Fiona Hill is the former Deputy Assistant to the Presid...
28/08/2026

New episode of the Centre for Army Leadership Podcast out now!

Dr Fiona Hill is the former Deputy Assistant to the President of The United States, and Senior Director for European and Russian affairs on the U.S. National Security Council. Acting as a Defence Advisor for the government, she co-authored the 2025 Strategic Defence Review. She is currently the Chancellor at Durham University.

Dr Hill shows the importance of recognising and building up the talent of those around you, and listening to your team's quieter voices. She also talks about the value of thinking big and how not being afraid of making bold actions can lead to success.

🎙️https://shorturl.at/gc5Vk

A team is useless without a shared goal.⁠⁠That’s why vision is so important. At the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst lea...
27/08/2026

A team is useless without a shared goal.⁠
⁠
That’s why vision is so important. At the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst leaders are taught to inspire the team, create a shared sense of direction and pull the team together to achieve results.⁠
⁠
Giving a unifying purpose binds your people together and creates the conditions for success.⁠
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Interested in learning more? Check out the Army Leadership Doctrine, available for free on our website

"No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it."- Andrew Carnegi...
26/08/2026

"No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it."
- Andrew Carnegie

Leadership and followership are two sides of the same coin, bound by shared purpose, values, and standards - though shap...
25/08/2026

Leadership and followership are two sides of the same coin, bound by shared purpose, values, and standards - though shaped by distinct responsibilities. The effectiveness of any team hinges on how followers engage and think independently, typically falling into five behavioural styles:

🔹 Exemplary (Stars): Proactive, independent, mission focused.
🔹 Alienated (Cynics): Critical and detached, often undermining progress.
🔹 Passive (Sheep): Lacking initiative, avoiding responsibility.
🔹 Conformist (‘Yes’ People): Eager to please but unable to challenge poor decisions.
🔹 Pragmatist (Survivors): Self serving, adapting to survive rather than contribute.

As a leader, creating an environment where people feel safe to share their views and create constructive challenge improves cohesion and allows everyone to contribute to their full ability.

Interested in more? Check out the Army Leadership Doctrine on our website.

The next book of our reading list - made in collaboration with the Army Library and Information Service (ALIS).Based on ...
24/08/2026

The next book of our reading list - made in collaboration with the Army Library and Information Service (ALIS).

Based on legends of the battle of Thermopylae, Gates of Fire by Stephen Pressfield shows the spirits of the Spartans who fought and died fighting the Persian Army.

This is a book about what people fight for and what they are willing to die for, about bravery and what it takes to be brave, and good leadership.

“Here is what you do, friends. Forget country. Forget king. Forget wife and children and freedom. Forget every concept, however noble, that you imagine you fight for here today. Act for this alone: for the man who stands at your shoulder. He is everything, and everything is contained within him. That is all I know. That is all I can tell you.”

ALIS is a FREE resource for any serving member of the Army (regular and reserve), available through Defence Connect. Depending on availability ALIS can provide an E-book or physical copy posted to you for free.

New episode of the Centre for Army Leadership Podcast coming soon!Dr Fiona Hill is the former Deputy Assistant to the Pr...
24/08/2026

New episode of the Centre for Army Leadership Podcast coming soon!

Dr Fiona Hill is the former Deputy Assistant to the President of The United States, and Senior Director for European and Russian affairs on the U.S. National Security Council. Acting as a Defence Advisor for the government, she co-authored the 2025 Strategic Defence Review. She is currently the Chancellor at Durham University.

Listen in on Friday August 28, 1200 BST.

21/08/2026

Episode 3 of the Designed to Lead podcast out now⁠!
⁠
How does the Army set soldiers up for leadership success from day one?⁠
⁠
In the third episode of Designed to Lead, Dan Russell interviews both trainee and trainer at the Army Training Centre Pirbright. Tune in to see how the army develops leadership from the ground up!

A battlefield necessity to exploit opportunities - mission command demands calculated risk.In 29th Commando Regiment Roy...
20/08/2026

A battlefield necessity to exploit opportunities - mission command demands calculated risk.

In 29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery followers aren’t just willing to take risks - they have an appetite for it. Operating at the limits of your risk boundaries gives you the flexibility to use your initiative to out think the enemy.

A note: calculated risk is not a gamble. Think things through, weigh up the options, seek clarification beforehand - then seize the initiative.

Interested in learning more? Check out the Army Leadership Doctrine, available for free on our website.

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