Diverse thinking at New Zealand Army’s top table

Accountability, diverse perspectives, and a willingness to offer transparency to decision-making are tenets of any leadership structure that wants to create agile, adaptive, progressive organisations. For many years within the New Zealand Army, this ideal has been embraced at its top table.

Alongside the senior leaders at the Army Leadership Board sit two independent members — Suzanne Snively and Lynda Carroll. Throughout their careers, these two women are amongst the growing number of professional directors who are leading the charge for increased integrity, accountability, and excellence at board and director level across New Zealand.

“I believe it is important to bring a different perspective to the board table,” Lynda says. “We know we can achieve significant performance improvement when we have diversity of thought. For the Army, where many soldiers careers have been centred within the military it can be a challenge to gain that diverse view. And yet, the more diverse the experience and background at that table the better equipped the Army will be to meet the goals set for it by the government.”

Suzanne agrees. “By having a seat at the Board Table, we have an opportunity to demonstrate that women are as qualified and professional as male directors,” she says. “I offer the NZ Army insights that show how as a woman I bring fresh perspectives to decision-making, both from the standpoints of diversity and of bringing external, independent intel to the Board’s deliberations.”

Chief of Army Major General John Boswell says having independent input into strategic decision making is vital.

“Suzanne and Lynda bring an impartial, alternative perspectives to the discussion, shared through their extensive experience and corporate intellect. Their views are invaluable and they are a robust and honest sounding board for new ideas and for change.”

Taking on these roles can mean challenging preconceptions about how the NZ Army operates, and the attitudes of those who lead it.

Suzanne says she expected that the Army would be autocratic and sexist, with unconscious bias built around a power and control model.

“I was expecting to find that the Army’s leadership engaged with the troops as pawns, that there would be defensiveness around the Board table, and that it would be necessary to work hard to find the best moment to comment in case I was shut down.

“The reality couldn’t be more different. Those who I got to know on the NZ Army Leadership Board‎ were democratic, open to listening to views about weaknesses as well as strengths from bottom-to-top from within the organisation and outside it, respectful of each other, their families, their troops, of women, other diverse groups and always open to ideas from their independent directors.”

Lynda initially expected the Board would be a group of people who would not necessarily challenge their superiors and who would be more autocratic than in other sectors.

“I could not have been more wrong,” say says. “My fellow board members have extremely high emotional agility, are respectful, empathetic and robustly question decisions regardless of rank.”

Major General Boswell believes that Suzanne and Lynda have held the Board accountable for the decisions that have been made.

“They interrogate military opinion and make us accountable for the decisions we are making. They cast a critical eye over the business without preconception or prejudice,” he says.

“Importantly, they bring their diverse expertise and intellectual prowess to every meeting, and have consistently elevated the Army Leadership Board through the application of good governance. Additionally, Lynda and Suzanne enhance the Army’s access to external resources and networks, and act as mentors to Board members, especially to me in my role of Chief of Army.”

Lynda says at the start of her time, five years ago, it was a very foreign environment to her, with language that she didn’t understand, and concepts that were completely new to her.

“However, I was treated with respect, patience, and at times a little collegial amusement as I would ask yet again what some strange acronym meant or why it was done that way. It wasn’t long before I felt like I belonged — like I was able to add value to the discussion. In many ways, I no longer feel like a ‘civilian’ — I feel like a member of NZ Army, albeit without the uniform.”

Having sat on the Board alongside three Chiefs of Army, Suzanne’s tenure at the Leadership Board is coming to an end.

“It has been one of the best governance experiences that I’ve had in a career spanning more than 30 years‎ as a director on boards in the private, public and charitable sectors,” she says. “I have chaired several of these boards. Working with three Army Chiefs and their leadership teams has taught me many new approaches to being an effective chair.

“I will miss the comradeship of the Army’s people. As the Army thinks about its ongoing relationship with its Reserves and civilian staff who are part of its future-proofed networked enabled approach, I hope it will keep me on the list as one of its able-bodied network, ready to serve my country.”

As Suzanne departs, to further its goal to embrace diversity, the New Zealand Army is currently seeking applications of interest to become its next independent member. Further out more information here.