Lessons in Leadership and Service for Change Agents
Change Managers today operate in fast moving, unpredictable environments that demand clarity, composure and the ability to mobilise people through uncertainty. Listening to seasoned leaders who have lived through high stakes situations can offer a fresh reminder of what leadership looks like when it is both human and effective.
In this conversation, three veterans. Fran Lawler, Ron Perry and Jessica Bunin, share honest, generous reflections on the experiences that shaped them as leaders and the lessons they now carry into their work as change agents. Their stories highlight themes that sit at the heart of effective change practice empathy, curiosity, collaboration and the ability to navigate the unknown with optimism and discipline.
This article brings together the most impactful insights from their discussion and offers Change Managers valuable prompts for reflection, action and growth.
Leadership Defined Through Experience
Each panellist was asked to share a defining moment that changed the way they view leadership. Their answers reveal leadership not as a position but as a deeply human responsibility.
Painting a Vision That Moves People
Fran recalls her early experience as an ambulance platoon leader running a training exercise at dawn. What surprised her most was a soldier who genuinely believed the staged scenario was real. His eyes lit up with purpose, and that moment reminded her how powerful it is when leaders create a compelling picture of what needs to be done.
She highlights:
- The privilege leaders have in setting direction
- The impact of clear vision on motivation
- The responsibility to help others feel useful and needed
That insight has continued to shape how she guides executive teams today.
Leadership Grounded in Empathy
Ron’s defining leadership moment came not in a tactical exercise, but in a moment of personal crisis. While in the field, he learned his wife had encountered an intruder who threatened her life. Without hesitation, his executive officer left with him, stood beside him through the police process and supported him through the stress.
That experience fundamentally changed how he leads. He now seeks to:
- Be the person others can rely on when they need support most
- Lead not only through inspiration but through compassion
- Build genuine connection rather than simply motivate for performance
Presence in Difficult Moments
For Jessica, leadership clarity came through a deeply vulnerable moment. As a junior physician, she became seriously ill and woke after major surgery to find her ICU attending quietly holding her hand. He said nothing, but his presence shifted her understanding of leadership entirely.
From that moment on, she committed to:
- Leading with empathy
- Seeing the whole person behind every role
- Providing support in both extraordinary and everyday situations
- Becoming a mentor who helps others feel safe and valued
These three stories reinforce a shared truth. great leadership blends clarity with humanity.
Problem Solving Through the Lens of Military Experience
When asked how their military background shaped their approach to problem solving, the panellists revealed three complementary perspectives.
Gathering the Right Voices and Synthesising Insight
Thrown into a construction leadership role with zero construction background, Ron quickly realised he could not rely on expertise he did not have. Instead, he learnt to:
- Seek out those with the right knowledge
- Draw insight from multiple sources
- Check alignment before making decisions
- Move forward with a plan the whole team supports
This mindset still guides how he tackles complex civilian challenges.
Curiosity and the Art of the Possible
Fran explains that military roles often came without job descriptions. Responsibilities changed overnight, forcing her to be comfortable stepping into ambiguity.
She sees problem solving as:
- A willingness to wade into the unknown
- A commitment to curiosity
- A habit of looking beyond immediate limitations
- A focus on finding solutions rather than dwelling on problems
For her, military culture trained an optimism about what is possible, even when the path forward is unclear.
Looking at All the Data. Not Just the Highlights
Jessica shares a powerful story from her experience leading a residency programme. After launching a major mentorship initiative, early satisfaction data looked overwhelmingly positive. Yet she ignored the small percentage who were not thriving until a major incident brought the issue into full view.
Her lesson:
- Effective change requires looking deeply at all data
- Leaders must examine what is not working, not only what is
- Blind optimism can distract from critical signals
- Data needs curiosity, not assumption
It was a turning point that transformed her approach to evaluating change initiatives.
Collaboration and Diversity as Drivers of Change
Military environments require collaboration across ranks, backgrounds and perspectives. The panellists reveal how those experiences shaped their understanding of diverse teams.
Including Every Voice to Solve Big Problems
Jessica tells an extraordinary story from her time as chief of critical care. Facing infection rates five times higher than the national benchmark, she gathered not only medical staff but every person who entered an ICU room, even those she would not have initially considered.
One unexpected insight from environmental services changed everything. Their contract did not allow them to clean anything with a plug. In an ICU where nearly everything is plugged in, this revelation explained a key part of the problem.
By bringing every voice into the room they:
- Identified a critical gap no one had seen
- Transformed cleaning processes
- Achieved zero infections for a year
It was diversity of role and perspective, not hierarchy that unlocked meaningful change.
Moving Beyond Surface Level Understanding
Fran reflects that she once took diversity at face value without exploring the deeper stories, identities and lived experiences of people around her. She now recognises:
- True collaboration requires curiosity
- Leaders need to look beneath the surface
- Compromise is not the same as collaboration
- Getting to the heart of people’s strengths takes intention
She describes herself as a work in progress, an example of continuous growth as a leader.
Drawing Skills from Across the Team
When Ron’s artillery unit was reassigned to a completely new mission in Baghdad, the team had only two months to learn unfamiliar, high-risk skills. Rank mattered less than capability.
Their success required:
- Identifying who held relevant experience
- Setting aside ego
- Learning from one another
- Building new tactics collectively
This approach mirrors effective change management today. bringing together diverse strengths to navigate unfamiliar terrain.
What Civilian Organisations Can Learn from Military Culture
The panellists offered concrete lessons from military culture that civilian organisations could adopt to become more effective.
Build Accountability Into Everyday Work
Fran highlights the discipline of regular after action reviews. These moments invited every team member, regardless of rank, to reflect openly on:
- What went well
- What could have been done differently
- Where problems occurred
- How to improve next time
This normalised accountability, reduced defensiveness and created a culture of continuous improvement.
Hire for Culture and Values
Ron stresses the importance of hiring people who align to core values. His company measures everyone against shared values such as teamwork, integrity and doing the right thing.
This approach means:
- No hidden toxicity
- High trust
- Strong alignment
- More agility when shifting roles
Shared values create stability even when roles change rapidly.
Communicate Mission and Vision Consistently
Jessica sees a gap in civilian workplaces. Many organisations define a mission and vision, but fail to communicate them meaningfully. She encourages leaders to:
- Reinforce mission and vision repeatedly
- Explain the why behind decisions
- Connect communication to people’s roles
- Prioritise relationships alongside outcomes
People accomplish the mission. so leaders must equip and support them thoroughly.
Guidance for the Next Generation of Leaders
When asked what advice they would give to emerging leaders and change agents, the panellists offered reflections rooted in humility, growth and connection.
Stay Humble and Choose a Growth Mindset
Ron urges future leaders to embrace growth over perfection. Leaders do not need all the answers. They need curiosity and the willingness to bring others into the process.
Treat Life as a Series of Experiments
Fran encourages new leaders to release the idea of the perfect next step. Every job, decision and project is an experiment to learn from.
Ask for Help and Build a Feedback Ecosystem
Jessica speaks passionately about the power of asking for help. Many people love giving help, yet hesitate to ask for it. She encourages leaders to:
- Ask for feedback
- Use feedback visibly
- Let go of defensiveness
- Build mentors, peers and coaches into their circle
For her, the turning point in her career was learning to welcome feedback rather than resist it.
A Conversation Rich With Insights for Change Managers
These leaders show that adaptability, openness and courage are not abstract qualities. They are the practical, lived skills that support meaningful change.
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