Hard Men: Profiles in leadership from the Australian military

The study of past military figures provides a useful aid to meeting the leadership challenges today in the most demanding profession; the profession of arms.

Australians were engaged in military leadership in earnest at the time of Federation in the Second Boer War. This book is a collection of profiles of military leaders in challenging situations from the late 1890s to the present day, 120 years. Influenced by the writings of Homer, Plato, Aristotle and the Stoics, leadership is often explained in terms of qualities and behaviours. Identifying the key qualities of the profiled leaders is the purpose of this multi-biography book. These profiles demonstrate the strength of character of these leaders - all hard men - in dealing with their challenging situations. In learning from these profiles, the secret is not to attempt to emulate every quality. Rather, it is to identify and build your strengths and have the awareness to apply them to the full in the situation to succeed as a leader.

Allan explores courage in battle, robustness and resilience, energy and stepping-up in the situation, intellect and academic study, professional mastery and pragmatism, personal discipline and being resolute, conviction and faith, adhering to principles, innovation and being transformative, and mentoring.

Allan has chosen to profile the men in this book because each of them has touched his life in some way and influenced his own career journey. This is his homage to them.

The Foreword has been written by Allan’s Duntroon classmate, Colonel Jeremy D. J. Logan, a former Commanding Officer of the 1st Commando Regiment.