Leadership training takes to the waves

Instructors and trainees gather on Kanimbla’s flight deck during training. Photo by POPH Shane Cameron

By Graham Davis

Four instructors have crossed the Indian Ocean to the Middle East to provide vital leadership training to a number of Leading Seamen returning to Australia in HMAS Kanimbla (CMDR David McCourt).

The Sailor’s Leadership and Management Faculty (East) sent the instructors to Kanimbla to run a Leading Seaman Leadership Course (LSLC).

The LSLC is a mandatory course for promotion to Leading Seaman consisting of modules including leadership theory, occupational health and safety, and a range of management subjects such as SPARS and the divisional system.

LEUT Mark Bunnett, CPO Mark Wilson, PO Anne Fisher and PO Paul Bradshaw joined the ship after a ‘trains, planes and automobile’ expedition that included a flight to Dubai, driving to Fujairah, and finally taking a ferry out to Kanimbla 12 miles off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

The sea state during the first week of the course provided a challenge for both the instructors and trainees as they coped with a rolling deck in the briefing room.

The trainees also had to take part in two days of practical leadership exercises (LEX’s) that were held in a variety of spaces throughout the ship.

During the passage to Australia Kanimbla conducted two port visits, first to Colombo, and next in Singapore.
This meant that the course was held over a five week period instead of the usual three and despite these breaks and others such as a race day, a sports afternoon and the traditional Crossing the Line ceremony, the trainees remained focused.

The LEX days were particularly successful and the instructors all commented that the standard reached by the trainees was very high and more than comparable to the standard seen in Sydney.

The trainees even found time to take a break and develop some team building skills.

Kanimbla’s high operational tempo has made it difficult for her sailors to attend the SLMF to undertake the LSLC so taking the training to sea has proved a win-win for the sailors and the RAN.

Both the instructors and the graduates agreed that it was a great initiative and the viability of running these courses at sea has been truly proven.

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