In touch with… Craig Chatterton

The creation of a new position at Flinders has brought workplace culture and leadership development to the fore. It’s a responsibility Craig Chatterton is embracing, equipped with skills attained over a diverse background and parallel defence career.

What is your role at Flinders University?

My work here is to lead and guide the effort on issues of culture development and leadership capability across the University.

At times this will be a strategic role and at other times, I hope to use my extensive experience coaching other leaders at a personal level to achieve high level outcomes for both them and their teams.

Where does one start with such a broad but critical purpose?

I will be framing my work on the 2025 Agenda and supporting themes around the University’s vision, mission and the values and ethos that guide our behaviour and deliverables. I think it’s important to maintain a very clear focus on what Flinders does and what we want to achieve. Developing leadership capability is one of my key focus areas as part of that; how we manage talent and prepare and identify succession plans across the University.

How did you come to this place in your career?

I didn’t really know what I wanted to do when I left school so I accepted an entry level role in one of the major banks. As it turned out this became fundamental to my early career development and provided an excellent basis for how my career has evolved.

I had only been with the bank a short period and was offered a job in Training & Development as an instructor. The bank had exceptional methodologies for the development of its people and I soon became fascinated with the contribution and capability that people bring to organisations. I undertook my first degree in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations during my time with the bank and was with them for a little over a decade.

Since those formative days I have spent time working in a range of industries including energy, mining, oil and gas, not-for-profit, defence industry and management consulting.

Can you share a highlight of your career?

One of my fondest times was working for an Adelaide-based, globally focused consulting firm. I spent five years all over the world helping companies implement organisational development, leadership, culture and strategic interventions with their workforces. I once delivered a four-day program to Portuguese oil and gas leaders in Angola (using an interpreter!) and in another adventure, I spent six weeks on an oil rig off the coast of Brunei.

And your profile mentions experience with the Defence Force?

I have had a parallel career as a Commissioned Officer in the Australian Defence Force. I am a logistics officer, allocated to the Royal Australian Electrical & Mechanical Engineers in the Australian Army.

I’m still serving and currently posted to the Joint Operations Support Staff at Keswick Barracks. This unit creates and fosters relationships between Defence and all levels of government and other civilian organisations with the primary focus being on preparedness for civil emergencies and disasters.

Along with my team, we have been very busy since Christmas with Operation Bushfire Assist, providing liaison between the ADF and a host of government and civil agencies.

In my 32 years in the ADF I’ve had some great experiences to lead and to work with people focused on achieving high level outcomes. I was fortunate to be offered the opportunity to study at the US Army Logistics University where I undertook education in multinational logistics.

Has this impacted your ‘other’ career?

My work in Defence has definitely influenced the way I work, in that being clear on the aims, getting your people around to discuss what needs to be done and how outcomes can be achieved, allocating the right resources to people, and then letting them get on with the job, is a sound way of leading.

Unfortunately, the way in which the military is portrayed is still very much about the leader telling or ordering others what to do. That could not be further from the truth: Defence leaders want good outcomes and realise that great solutions can come from anywhere in a team, therefore leadership is very consultative. This does not stymie decisions being made, but rather gives leaders good information on which actions can be initiated.

Having had wonderful opportunities to work in many parts of the world, I’m always proud of the way the Australian work culture is held in high regard. I’ve completed a Master in Emergency Management and will graduate with an MBA this year.

Can you describe a challenge and how you overcame it?

I experienced a challenge some years ago whereby I was working on a project and my boss was very keen for the outcomes to be implemented immediately as the project offered significant commercial potential and competitive advantage in the market.

There were a number of problems that needed to be resolved before the product went to market and I had some challenging discussions with more senior people and advised caution about being too hasty. Fortunately we agreed on some middle ground. What it taught me is that at times you need to act courageously to ensure the outcomes required are the ones achieved, and that unintended and negative consequences should be thought through.

How do you relax, or enjoy your free time?

I love travel, whether it be a weekend trip away or further afield. There are still many places that I haven’t been to in the world. I also enjoy good food and wine. I’m an avid exerciser. I’m a DIYer at home, but the project list is long!

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