Lt Colonel Neil Watt, who I have known for over 40 years (that fact shocks me) led our chapel on Thursday morning. He took as his theme collaboration which he drew from Ecclesiastes 4:12, a cord of three strands is not easily broken.

Neil’s insight, set in our historic way of working, reflected on the command and control of a military leadership style vs the rationale of collaboration, working together, with stakeholders in the room for information, discussion and consensus. The first is quicker, effective for certain circumstances, the latter slower but more conducive to good decisions in the long run.

Anyone who has done work in leadership styles knows that style needs to be in the context of circumstances.  In the middle of a fire, no one is going to have a committee meeting to decide if you need to leave the building. The immediate response is for someone to yell “get out of the building.” But when it comes to decisions that effect many and for a long time then many heads are better than one.

Niel finished with us singing the hymn:

Help us to help each other Lord, Each other’s cross to bear; Let each his friendly aid afford and feel his brother’s care.