Original article published on Medium
Understand the situation and plan — I facilitated our discussion to focus on revealing the truth instead of burning energy in preparing a rebuttal. Our investigators were willing to do the investigation and their best to capture the evidence in a fully admissible manner i.e. corroboration by parents and priest.
In this interview series, we are exploring the subject of dealing with crises and how to adapt and overcome them. Crisis management is one characteristic that many successful leaders share in common, and in many cases, it is the most important trait necessary to survive and thrive in today’s complex market. I had the pleasure of interviewing David Deane-Spread.
David is the founder of Metattude, and a seasoned CEO and Leadership Transition coach with a rich background spanning military, law enforcement, and business. His unique blend of expertise empowers senior leaders to navigate high-stakes roles and establish enduring legacies during transitional periods in their careers.
Specialising in leadership challenges across industries such as emergency response, mining, and agriculture, David has a proven track record of guiding leaders in government and business to excel under pressure. He also provides tailored support to those managing complex, high-value individuals within their teams, ensuring success in even the most demanding environments.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would love to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?
David Deane-Spread: My parents were of Irish-Indian heritage and I was “made” in India, “landed” in London, and arrived in Perth Western Australia by age 4. Growing up, my mother was a disciplinarian-style teacher at our primary school. As a result, every day I had to protect my younger brother, who has cerebral palsy, from the taunts and bullying that children of that era excelled at. That shaped my instinct to protect and defend and I joined the military upon leaving school, and later transitioned to law-enforcement.
And what are you doing today? Can you share a story that exemplifies the unique work that you are doing?
David Deane-Spread: Today I focus on helping senior leaders be the best versions of themselves, so that they can help their people to be the best versions of themselves, delivering their purpose and mission whilst adhering to their values. This is especially important in this new AI era we are experiencing.
For example, I recently intervened with the senior leadership team of a dysfunctional organisation that, despite their dysfunction, had a valuable product and service with massive potential to grow their market. I was referred to them by a member of their board who was a representative of the venture capital firm that had invested in them.
Due to the pressures of growth, the entire leadership cohort had not effectively engaged with their teams and were not as aligned as they thought they were. Consequently, there was a sense of chaos and a lack of the right conversations, and trust required to correct course and better execute the strategy. I worked first with the senior leadership team and gave them the personal tools to become more deeply aligned, engage effectively, and regain trust, which is difficult yet achievable.
Within 60 days the entire leadership cohort had achieved an effective reset and were able to measure a noticeable improvement across the business. Six months later they had achieved their key performance indicators for that period. They are now growing in a more controlled and manageable manner. The board of investors is delighted!
Can you tell us a bit about your military background?
David Deane-Spread: I graduated from the Officer Cadet School as a second lieutenant in the military police at age 20, and my first posting was as the second officer of the military prison. Shortly after, I trained as an investigator and specialised in drug enforcement and covert operations.
My last military posting was as the second officer of the military police school from where I was selected to join the federal narcotics bureau, which has since merged with the Australian Federal Police. I also served another discreet agency. I spent most of my career in those agencies as a covert operations leader and developer of covert operators.
Can you share the most interesting story that you experienced during your military career? What “take away” did you learn from that story?
David: Law enforcement within the military is like law enforcement in the general population with the exception that in the military we were dealing with trained soldiers who were competent planners and fighters. At times there was a different level of intensity. That meant that we had to match that capability. It led to my ability to serve effectively when I transferred to the federal agency, where there was a greater variety and scope of criminal activity, even if they may have been less able to physically ‘fight’.
The most interesting story that impacted me and my career occurred when I was at the Military Police School. I was conducting training for regional commanding officers, all Majors, to aid them in managing drug enforcement in their region. There was a role-play exercise regarding crime scene protection and evidence management. One Major refused to participate saying his soldiers needed to do that, not him. I explained that the Provost Marshal (equivalent of Police Commissioner) had stipulated full engagement from the regional commanders, and that they needed to understand what their soldiers did. The officer still refused, and I reported him to the Chief Instructor, my commanding officer, who was the same rank as the student.
A heated argument between them ensued and the student major complied. Fast forward nearly twelve months and that major was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and Provost Marshal. Shortly after, my commanding officer and I were suspended over serious allegations of “conduct unbecoming” and other allegations that brought the school into disrepute. A military board of inquiry was convened, and we heard a female civilian allege inappropriate activities by my commanding officer and myself, involving alcohol and sexual activities in the instructors’ mess and classrooms. As this was false and a clear setup, we had our two investigation instructors locate and interview the female in the presence of her parents and family priest, all of whom signed the record of the interview.
The evening that I received the record, I telexed it to the Provost Marshal’s office and that night the Provost Marshal died, allegedly from a heart attack, though there was no autopsy. The record of interview showed that the Provost Marshal had instructed the female what to say. The female was a heroin addict and a friend of a soldier who had served earlier with the Provost Marshal. The court of inquiry closed.
During the time of the inquiry, I was being considered for transfer to the federal agency and this was clearly jeopardising that opportunity. When I showed the record of interview to the agency, and it secured my transfer, boosted by my part in establishing the truth.
There were many ‘take-aways’ for me from that experience:
A grudge harms the holder.
Effective leadership earns loyalty and commitment, like those of our investigators, who did a difficult and fantastic job in securing the record of interview.
How I managed myself during that time and how I was able to facilitate my CO’s self-management, whose long career was on the line, taught me the value of self- and situational awareness, resilience, adaptability and optimism.
Injustice can be remedied by clear and ethical action.
We are interested in fleshing out what a hero is. Did you experience or hear about a story of heroism, during your military experience? Can you share that story with us? Feel free to be as elaborate as you’d like.
David: I didn’t experience this story, but am proud to have trained with the man it’s about. One of my classmates from my officer training, Bruce Cameron, became a tank commander in the Vietnam conflict, as a young 2nd Lieutenant.
It was June 1971 when Bruce faced a moment that would test his training, courage and leadership. During Operation Hermit Park, in Phuoc Tuy Province, his unit came under heavy enemy fire. When his tank was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade, his driver was blown from the tank and suffered severe head injuries.
Despite knowing he would be in full view of enemy bunkers, Bruce climbed out of his tank to retrieve his driver, such was his care for his men. With only a 9mm pistol, Cameron pushed through thick jungle to reach his driver. He discovered that despite his injuries, his driver was trying to reach the rest of the crew, believing the tank was on fire and wanting to ensure their safety. That’s what good soldiers do!
Bruce’s leadership and the bravery of his men, lead them to secure their objective. Because of his actions, he was awarded the Military Cross. His story and tank are at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
Based on that story, how would you define what a “hero” is? Can you explain?
David: Heroism to me, regardless of where or how it appears, can range from when a human is willing to risk their own life to save another, to sticking up for the higher good when it is unpopular to do so. In essence, it is the practice of overcoming personal fear to ensure a better outcome for others, rather than just oneself.
Do you think your experience in the military helped prepare you for business or leadership? Can you explain?
David: Indeed! Though not only in the military but also law enforcement and commerce. I believe leadership is a life-long learning journey. I learned from both great and poor leadership, how to be and how not to be, in all three areas of my experience. However, I learned most from my own mistakes, through inexperience, lapses in judgement and fatigue.
The biggest mistake I learned from was going bankrupt at age 42 for $6.5million. I thought I was bullet-proof and made a business decision that was based on over-confidence. It cost me a marriage and the loss of everything material and I had to build up again from nothing. Now I can truly say it was a blessing in disguise, given the lessons it taught me.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
David: I have been helped by so many wonderful and generous people, both senior to me, peers, subordinates, and especially my clients. However, I’ll always remember the lesson Captain Peter Schuman MC gave me as a young and errant trainee officer at Portsea. I had sneaked out at night to visit a girlfriend off base, making my bed look like I was in it. When I arrived back, just before first light, Captain Schuman was sitting at the foot of my bed. What I had done, together with other rule breaking I’d committed earlier, put my career as an officer at risk.
Instead, Captain Schuman said “Your rule-breaking could cost you your career. However, there’s another way of using that trait, but not like this. You need to be wiser and more mature about what you do young man! One more event like this and you’re out. For now, you’ll have four weeks confined to barracks.” I learnt a big lesson that day about my worth and was given a second chance that I wasn’t going to squander. I behaved and graduated. That trait was why I specialised in covert operations. Peter Schuman remained a mentor whom I greatly respected.
Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s shift to the main focus of this interview. We would like to explore and flesh out how to survive and thrive in a crisis. How would you define a crisis?
David: To me a crisis is when the unexpected occurs suddenly and poses clear and present risk or danger. The unexpected can range from an internal or external threat, act, or omission. The risks or damage can range from loss of life or property, finance, reputation, market share or intellectual property, and nowadays, cybercrime, technical disruption, severe weather events and even war.
Before a crisis strikes, what should business owners and leaders think about and how should they plan?
David: The wise leader must assess for potential risks of all types and have a plan, an ability to rapidly deploy the plan and ideally practice the drill. It takes planning, training, agility, decisiveness, resilience, resourcing and recovery capability. A crisis is also an opportunity for rapid improvement, discovery of new potential and rapid learning.
There are opportunities to make the best of every situation and it’s usually based on how you frame it. In your opinion or experience, what’s the first thing people should do when they first realize they are in a crisis situation? What should they do next?
David: The first thing to do on recognition of a crisis is to become calm, centred and curious. In covert operations you are not in control of the situation, you must be in the flow of it as it evolves. No assumptions or reactions but deliberate calm assessment and agile response.
That’s where planning and practice produce powerful pathways. You can’t think straight when you’re stressed. Slow down time by intense calm focus and trust in your process, your people and yourself. Next, get clarity about the current reality and desired resolution, then plan it, including the input from your stakeholders.
What do you believe are the characteristics or traits needed to survive a crisis?
David: I’m clear that the following are the required traits:
- Self-awareness — know and manage your state to remain calm and centred regardless of what is happening.
- Situational awareness — know what’s happening around you and if possible, beyond.
- Adaptability — ability to manoeuvre, change direction rapidly.
- Courage — comes from your values, experience and training — to act in the face of reality.
- Decisiveness — the wrong decision can be rapidly corrected, whilst no decision means no impact.
- Resilience — ability to stay the distance, remain effective and recover rapidly.
- Positivity and Optimism — they are different — positivity is about now, optimism is about the future.
When you think of those traits, which person comes to mind? Can you explain why you chose that person?
David: I have always been impressed by the true story of the soldiers involved in the Anglo-Zulu wars at Rorke’s Drift, where they were very heavily outnumbered by the Zulu, held their ground to the point of the Zulus honouring them as the Zulus abandoned the battle, even though they could have persisted and overrun the few remaining soldiers. That event led to the greatest number of Victoria Crosses awarded in a single action. We studied that action in our military history, and I have always carried the lesson with me and have used it to drive me on when I needed it.
Did you have a time in your life when you had one of your greatest setbacks, but you bounced back from it stronger than ever? Can you share that story with us?
David: Yes, I’ve already mentioned it earlier. I chose to go bankrupt after repaying $ 4.2 million out of a total $10.7 million in 1990. It took me three years to repay the $ 4.2 million, but cost me my marriage and contact with my children. I was near broken emotionally, had nothing and still faced a debt of $6.5 million, due to the tax office and a bank.
Even though they hadn’t taken action at that time I decided the right thing to do was to declare bankruptcy and rebuild from nothing. When you’re bankrupt you aren’t allowed to manage a business or own anything above what standard of living you require to function effectively. I rented a flat and negotiated it rent-free for 12 months, in return for painting the landlord’s house. During that time I also learned to play the didgeridoo. I also gave talks to MBA students at UWA on “the human face of entrepreneurship” for $100 per hour! That experience made me realise my calling to do what I do now.
Crises not only have the potential to jeopardize and infiltrate your work, but they also threaten your emotional stability and relationships. Based on your military experience, what are 5 steps that someone can take to survive and thrive in these situations?
David: OK, I’ll outline the steps and use the Provost Marshal setup as the example.
Step One — Become calm, centred and curious — by practicing blocked breathing and adopting a discovery or investigative attitude. Remember you’ve got a plan or can rapidly create one and first you need to understand the situation. When we were stood down due to the false complaint, it was a shock, indeed a crisis! I thought my reputation would be destroyed and my transition to the federal agency was in jeopardy. I practiced my blocked breathing and thoughtfully conferred with my boss who was very upset about the matter.
Step Two — Understand the situation and plan — I facilitated our discussion to focus on revealing the truth instead of burning energy in preparing a rebuttal. Our investigators were willing to do the investigation and their best to capture the evidence in a fully admissible manner i.e. corroboration by parents and priest.
Step Three — Take initial action — deployed the investigators, who succeeded in obtaining the record of interview.
Step Four — Rapidly follow up initial action outcomes — I immediately telexed the record of interview to the Provost Marshal’s office which resulted in the Provost Marshal’s immediate demise and closure of the court of inquiry.
Step Five — Regroup, debrief and celebrate the learning — We (myself, my CO and our two investigators) regrouped and debriefed, acknowledged our actions and embedded the learning, then celebrated, knowing our reputations had been protected and my transition secured.
Ok. We are nearly done. You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
David: I’m passionate about the skill of Attitudinal Competence and I’d like that to be taught to everyone from secondary school age, instead of learning it as an adult. As a leader in covert operations, I developed a method of training for Attitudinal Competence which I have adapted for personal and professional development in normal life.
I’ve written the workbook for that training and all my clients get it as the core of personal change, change leadership and culture improvement. The search engines regard me as the global leader in the topic. I know it has had a massive positive impact on my clients. In essence, it gives us command of the only four things we can control — our thoughts, feelings, words and actions. I’d like that to be a “not-for-loss” movement that makes it available for everyone.
We are blessed that some very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them 🙂
David: Yes, either Geoffrey Canada, president of the Harlem Children’s Zone, because of his work with the youth in Harlem and especially at-risk youngsters as I believe my Attitudinal Competence method will be of real value to them; or Sal Khan for his ability to reach students via his Khan Academy.
How can our readers follow you online?
David: They can find me on LinkedIn, or check out the Metattude website, which will become https://daviddeane-spread.com/ in February 2025.
Thank you so much for these amazing insights. This was truly uplifting.
