I expect you to be authentically optimistic, always providing clear focus and positive direction to our staff, and energetically seeking to overcome obstacles and challenges. Your staff look to you for direction and motivation. Nothing destroys morale and focus more quickly and decisively than cynicism and negativity in supposed leaders. Your task is to inspire, persuade, stir and rally. To do this, you will have to communicate – clearly, effectively, consistently, and purposefully. You are not an observer of events and tides. Your task is to interpret the external reality of your team and to show them the way forward. Not everything will always turn out as we would hope. When you see that something is wrong or needs to be escalated, do not ignore it or cover it up. If you need to escalate any issue, do so in a timely fashion, even if you do not have all of the facts or the fixes. Give key stakeholders the time that they might need to decide whether to intervene, direct or simply monitor. I expect you to deal with failure and disappointment individually and, as required, collectively. A helpless leader is no leader. Own and fix problems, and move past them. Absorb their lessons. So armed, become a better leader, and ensure that your team is also better for the experience.

I expect you to make decisions based on judgment, experience and intuition. The best decisions reflect a collaborative and strategy-centred culture. Our processes should ensure that different perspectives are brought to bear and the best data is garnered in support of decision-making. To do this, build new networks and foster existing relationships. Look for real world insights. Focus on information, data and intelligence – these things are central to all that we do. Knowledge of history, in its fullest sense, will give you a broad perspective, especially during what you might feel to be "the darkest hour" – except, it almost most certainly will not be. History will be your lamp on these occasions, illuminating past episodes and rhythms which will suggest that we have faced similar challenges before now, and will do so again until the end of time. Engage with the reality of any given situation. Facts and results count more than cause and theory. Always ensure that you are in a position to explain your decisions, and the process by which you came to those decisions. Managing risk is central to every decision that we make, and you need to ensure that it is built into everything that you do. I expect you to calculate risk in order to mitigate threats and to take advantage of opportunities. In doing this, gather new partners – in industry, the general community, in other jurisdictions, and internationally. Be prepared to innovate, be agile and adjust as required, and leverage successful practice. In terms of taking risk, I will always back you if you can demonstrate that you have been operating within your lawful authority and your assigned span of responsibilities, that you have exercised reasonable judgment, based on demonstrable logic and evidence, and a clearly articulated risk/reward calculus, and that you have been looking to take advantage of opportunities to the benefit of the enterprise.

I expect you to take action. As a leader, your principal task is to generate effects, not merely to observe or, worse, give the appearance of activity. Always focus, giving every confidence that you have a firm grasp of the situation at hand. Crystallise your choices, pare your options and focus on those key actions that will make the most effective difference. Remain steady under pressure and especially in the midst of a crisis. Your confidence has to be credible and well founded. Do not micromanage capable subordinates, but do not hesitate to spring into action when decisive intervention is required. Leaders bring a comprehensive conception to plans and activities. Often only they have the broad view and vision, the confidence, the authority and the vantage point from which to act quickly and decisively to grasp opportunities, or avert disaster. Do not overexercise this prerogative, and only do so with purpose and effect. Leaders own their decisions through taking responsibility for the basis and the consequences of their decisions. Exercise judgment when determining the necessary level of authority required for a decision to be taken. Decisions are best taken by those assigned with relevant responsibilities, and invested with the requisite authority. Do not pass decisions up the line needlessly, abrogate responsibility or become a bottleneck for timely decision-making. Be wary of debate which becomes a veil for indecision. That said, accept that some decisions will need to be taken as part of a collective process. You will be expected to own those decisions as well. If you have a dissenting view, that view should be prosecuted through the collective process. Have the courage to speak up at the appropriate time and in the appropriate forums. Open and respectful disagreement in decision-making discussions is welcome. Once a decision is made, however, it will be collectively owned.

Leaders are personally organised and efficient, and attentive to sound administration and management. By being personally well organised and prepared, you will reduce the "noise" of your job and create as much space as possible to lead strategically and with purpose. Attention to detail, for instance in terms of sound record keeping, issuing clear written directions, reading papers ahead of key decisions and so on, are important aides to management – and good leaders are good managers. Meeting these standards is also a sign of respect. Disorganisation and a lack of appropriate attention to detail are signs of disrespect. Others rely on your attention, focus and decisions, so that they can do their jobs.

Leaders live by their values, and support and exhibit the values of their enterprise. Please do not say one thing and do another, or say one thing when it suits you and another when it does not. Value openness, collegiality and integrity, and have no tolerance for harassment, discrimination or bullying. Never put yourself into a position of being conflicted, in actual or perceived terms. You are required to declare any financial or other private interests that might give rise to real or apparent conflicts of interest. Non-disclosure of real or apparent conflicts of interest will be considered to be a significant breach should they subsequently come to light during the course of disciplinary or other proceedings. In terms of personal behaviour and ethics, you will of course comply with all stipulated rules and guidelines, but you should aim more generally to be known for exemplary behaviour.