As the first non-military Chief of Defence Intelligence, Adrian Bird is bringing a fresh perspective to one of the UK’s most high-stakes organisations. Appointed in September 2022, he draws on decades of experience in the intelligence community, including his time as Director-General at GCHQ.
At the heart of his leadership? A commitment to fostering collaboration, valuing diversity, and creating a culture of psychological safety.
In this episode, Adrian joins Lindsay MacDuff to talk about leadership, managing energy over time, and the importance of recognition and gratitude. He reflects on the challenges of maintaining operational effectiveness, the power of trust in intelligence work, and why leadership is never one-size-fits-all.
With courage, candour, creativity, and community as his guiding principles, Adrian shares a fascinating take on what it means to lead in an unpredictable world. And in a lighter moment, he reveals his admiration for Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, which also happens to be a bit of a driving force - because, as the film’s mantra goes, “Be excellent to each other.”
We’d love to hear your thoughts at TheCultureColonel@bfbs.com
Thank you for listening and take care until next time!
Quotations:
“Be excellent to each other.” (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure)
“Manage your energy, not your time.” (Tony Schwartz and Jim Loehr)
\"Power is a relationship, not a possession.” (Professor Emeritus Keith Grint)
Follow Lindsay:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lindsay-macduff
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaymacduff/
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