active CEO Podcast #17 Patrick Kidd OBE Invictus Games Healing Power of Purpose

Patrick Kidd OBE – CEO Invictus Games

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Patrick Kidd OBE about his approach to being driven by service and purpose; empowering your team members; balancing boundaries with the freedom to operate; knowing when to seek advice; the art of planning; and finding the clarity of your strategy. He gives us an in-depth insight into the tight connection and bond developed in the armed forces; the challenges veterans have when transitioning back into society; leadership being driven by context; the purpose of the Invictus Games; the healing power of sport; and how he leads an active CEO lifestyle.

Background

Patrick Kidd OBE is a highly experienced, meticulous and humble leader who has successfully transitioned from serving in the Armed Services to becoming an impressive CEO on debut.

He has a lifelong love of learning and professional development with a Masters of Arts at the Cranfield School of Management, MBA at the Open University, Diploma inSecurity Services at Deakin University and completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Company Directors Course.

He served in the British Army for 20 years and the Australian Defence Force for 10 years before transitioning into a principal consultant role at Deloitte Australia in 2015. His impressive leadership has been recognised, with a Queen’s Commendation in 2000 and an OBE in 2005.

Joining Deloitte Australia in 2015, he focused on strategy and operations consulting to Defence and the Defence Industry. He led the Deloitte team responsible for the Invictus Games Sydney pro-bono effort, which resulted in being appointed as the CEO of the 2018 Invictus Games Sydney.

Patrick talks about:

• Bringing together an amazing collection of people who come together because they are trying to make a difference for the good.
• Creating that atmosphere when things go wrong, the team will come around and support them.
• The act of planning is everything
• Balancing leading the team and the individual.
• Understanding what it is that you are trying to do and why you are trying to do it.
• A time when he made a mistake when leading in the Armed Services and the strategies he employed to resurrect the situation.
• Respecting the world in which you live and the people that you are dealing with.
• Failing to back his Deputy while in Iraq.
• The biggest challenges he faced when transitioning from the Armed Services into his role at Deloitte Australia.
• Former Wallaby Australian Rugby Captain, Stephen Moore, being the catalyst to Australia commencing its bid, in 2014, for theSydney Invictus Games.
• The Invictus games giving a greater purpose to the staff of Deloitte Australia.
• Why the Invictus Games is so important to those who have served and the families who have supported them.
• The Invictus Games being about those individuals that are going to get the most out of the experience.
• Prince Harry being the inspiration behind the Invictus Games.
• The “whats next?” The legacy of the Invictus Games.
• Veterans Sports Australia’s role to bring together the community of people who have served and give them pathways to connect.
• People often over-analyse problems and situations, when actually sometimes all you need to do is, do something.
• Learning to ask for help.
• Switching off and being ready to move into another setting, is an incredibly hard thing to do.
• The effect that his wife and Sir Winston Churchill have had on his career

Active CEO Wellness Tip

Ben and Craig discuss – Apologise to Me! How comfortable are you in saying sorry? We naturally value our ego more than our relationships and therefore it takes strength and courage to be able to say ‘I’m sorry’. Emotional intelligence helps you to comprehend that by saying sorry you demonstrate humility and by apologising it doesn’t always mean that you are wrong. Humility is an important quality that improves relationships and naturally draws others to you.

Tweets

“Our young need to believe in something, they need to recognise that life has a purpose and it’s not just about them.” The importance of defining your purpose with Patrick Kidd OBE on the active CEO Podcast.

“It is your job to bring a team together, give the team purpose and to help them along the way so they can do great work. “Patrick Kidd OBE on leading teams on the active CEO Podcast.

“Unless you have got a really clear view as to what the objective is and what you are trying to do, you are never going to get there.” Achieving goals with Patrick Kidd OBE on the active CEO Podcast.

“It is not about who you are and what you did yesterday, it is what you are going to be.” Where you focus should be with Patrick Kidd OBE on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Thank you to Peppers Gallery Hotel, Canberra for hosting the interview.
Patrick Kidd LinkedIn
Invictus Games www.invictusgames2018.org
Deloitte Australia link
Australian Defence Force www.defence.gov.au
British Army www.army.mod.uk
Kingston University www.kingston.ac.uk
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst link
Cranfield School of Management www.cranfield.ac.uk
Deakin University www.deakin.edu.au
Australian institute of Company Directors link
The Open University www.open.edu.au
www.nrg2perform.com
craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole Performance Coaching www.bengathercole.com.au

Recommended Reading:

Better Than Winning – Ben’s best selling book Purchase Now

Previous active CEO Podcast Episodes:

#16 – Liza Pavlakos (www.lizapavlakos.com) – Adversity Transforms Lives Link
#15 – Michael Sewards (SkyBus) – All Aboard the SkyBus Link
#14 – Jamin Heppell & Jen Ziegner (Mountains & Marathons) – Leading From the Mountain Tops Link
#13 – Chris Dean (Choice Energy) – Disrupting the Energy Spectrum link
#12 – Kate Palmer (Sport Australia) – Changing the Game link
#11 – Tim Cosulich (Fratelli Cosulich Group) – Navigating the Global Family Business link
#10 – Dr Ndidi Nnoli-Edozien (Rising Tide Africa) – Magic Happens Outside the Comfort Zone link
#9 – Mike DeNoma (KBZ Bank) Part #2 – Creating an Earthquake link
#8 – Mike DeNoma (KBZ Bank) Part #1 – Your Strengths are What Energise You link
#7 – Trina Gordon (Boyden World Corporation) – Recruiting World Leaders link
#6 – Indiran Padayachee (RentCorp) – Winning Only Matters link
#5 – Suzie Hoitink (Clear Complexions) – Enemy of a Great Life is a Good One link
#4 – Rene Zondag (PBI) – People Are Our Greatest Asset link
#3 – Anne Gripper (NSW Office of Sport) – 6 C’s of Leadership link
#2 – active CEO Intro (NRG2Perform) Part 2 link
#1 – active CEO Intro (NRG2Perform) Part 1 link