It is important that all staff, students, and supporters of the various Learning Centres and organisations that make up the Australian Defence College understand how I expect you to perform your duties. This works on two levels; the first is what I expect of each individual; the second is what I expect from our broader organisation.
For each individual there are three things I expect:
- The first is to be brilliant at the basics.
- The second is to work as a team.
- And the third is to see the bigger picture.
Brilliant at the Basics. If all our people, at all levels, are brilliant at their basics; from a junior cadet, to the Professors and staff on faculties, and to those who develop and support training and education; then the Australian Defence College will be effective. The first thing I expect you to do is your job and do it to the best of your ability.
Work as a Team. There is nothing new to people in Defence about the idea of working as a team. I want to reinforce that. Our students must learn together and learn from each other. Our staff must work together and support each other. Teamwork, cooperation, collaboration and communication are the hallmarks of successful organisations and these characteristics are to be the hallmarks of the Australian Defence College.
See the Bigger Picture. When we see the bigger picture we understand how we contribute to the overall success of Defence. Seeing the bigger picture makes sense of our part in the larger Defence outcome. Knowing what you are doing is not enough – you must also know why you are doing it and how you contribute. I will judge our performance by how well our people understand, and can see, the bigger picture and their part in it.
For the Australian Defence College I expect three things:
- The first order of business is to do what we need to do today.
- The second is to prepare for those things that we need to do tomorrow.
- And the third order of business is to remain flexible to ensure we can do those new things that we have not even begun to think about; but that are going to be demanded of us.
