In this podcast episode, we delve into the significance of a day rooted in history and solemn remembrance—known as Remembrance Day in Canada. While it may seem tangential to leadership at first glance, the profundity of this day holds critical lessons for leaders across all domains. Remembrance Day, observed annually on November 11th, marks not just the end of the First World War but also serves as a moment to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Its essence goes beyond a simple commemoration; it is a call for leaders to reflect on the values of sacrifice, duty, and the human cost of conflict.
For leaders, understanding these aspects is crucial. It’s an opportunity to reinforce the principles of empathy, respect, and reflection within their teams and organizations. Observing such a day encourages leaders to cultivate a workplace culture that honors contributions and recognizes the gravity of sacrifices made for the greater good. Additionally, it offers a somber reminder of the importance of striving for peace and the stark realities of leadership in times of conflict. Through observing Remembrance Day, leaders can instill a deep sense of appreciation for the past, fortify their commitment to humane leadership, and inspire those they lead to value altruism and collective well-being.
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Timestamped Overview
- [00:00:56] Monday Military Leadership Insights: Insight into this specific segment focusing on military leadership experiences and lessons.
- [00:01:56] Remembrance Day Significance: Explanation of Remembrance Day and its importance in Canada, compared to similar observances in other countries.
- [00:03:50] Personal Reflections on Sacrifice: Personal reflections on the sacrifices of fellow soldiers, including names and stories of those lost in various conflicts.
- [00:05:18] Honoring the Fallen, Not Glorifying War: Emphasis on the solemnity of Remembrance Day, differentiating it from glorification of war.
- [00:06:15] Call to Reflect and Respect: Encouragement for listeners to take two minutes to reflect and honor those who did not return from service, regardless of their nationality.
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Scott McCarthy
Transcript
The following is an AI generated transcript which should be used for reference purposes only. It has not been verified or edited to reflect what was actually said in the podcast episode.
Scott McCarthy [00:00:08]:
Welcome 1. Welcome all to the Peak Performance Leadership Podcast. A weekly podcast series dedicated to helping you hit peak performance across the three domains of leadership. Those being leading yourself, leading your team, and leading your organization. This podcast couples my 20 years of military experience as a senior Canadian army officer with world class guests, bringing you the most complete podcast of leadership going. And for more, feel free to check out our website at movingforwardleadership.com. And with that, let’s get to the show. Yes.
Scott McCarthy [00:00:56]:
Welcome and welcome all to peak performance leadership podcast, Monday military leadership insights where I, your chief leadership officer, a serving seasoned senior officer in within the Canadian army, talked about my experiences from a leadership’s perspective within the military. Today, it is November 11th, real time 2020 4. So you’re listening to this episode in real time. It is for us in Canada what we refer to as remembrance day. So at the end of the first world war, on the 11th day of the 11th hour sorry. At the 11th hour of the 11th day within the 11th month of the year, the 1st world war came to an end. And from there, it has been marked as a day of solemn and of remembrance. Many different countries refer to it in different ways.
Scott McCarthy [00:01:56]:
In the US, it’s often referred to as Veterans Day, and UK. If they have another name for it, but generally speaking, what we do is we remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duties. Today, it’s not much of a leadership topic per se, but rather what does remembrance day mean to me as a military leader? So quickly, just to give you an idea of what we do on remembrance day, it is not a celebration, but rather a day of solemn reflection where we take just a moment, 2 minutes, 2 minutes to pay respects, stand quietly, and remember those who fought in the wars, whether that be the 1st World War, the 2nd war, the Korean war, the ongoing peacekeeping missions, the war in Afghanistan, what have you. We take just a couple of minutes and to reflect and simply, pay respects to them, those members who did not come home. And despite some of the common misunderstandings going on this day and age, it is not a day of glorification of war, but rather the exact opposite of it. We think about the needless sacrifices that had to be have to in order to ensure that peace and safety remained. You see? And for me as a currently still serving member, I think of the over a 100 Canadian soldiers who died in the Afghan conflict, one that I was personally involved in. But also I think about the 5 people who I’ve known, served with, who are no longer with us.
Scott McCarthy [00:03:50]:
Justin Boyes, a friend of mine who was killed in action on the 29th October 2009, the day that I actually landed in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Corporal Darren Fitzpatrick, who was part of my unit in Afghanistan, who succumb to his injuries in March of 2010 due to operations. Major Scott Foote, a personal friend, mentor of mine who died due to natural causes, but away on operations in Jordan in 20 16. Then there was captain Brandon McDonald, who was a part of the helicopter crash known as Stalker 22, that went down in the Mediterranean Wall on operations. And then finally, a member of my own team, Mike Bush, who died due to, self inflicted harm. And that, alright, shook our team. So this is not a day of glorification for these members, but a day to honor them, their sacrifice, their chances to not stripped away from them, to be able to see their loved ones one last time, to say I love you, goodbye. None of that was given to these men, but rather it was stripped away.
Scott McCarthy [00:05:18]:
So today, I’ll be thinking of them. And the one thing I ask for you is just, you know, maybe you take a moment yourself. Just 2 minutes of your day. Perhaps you and your team get together and think about those because those people who did not come home from your local areas, your communities, your nation, this podcast is globally, especially in Canada, US, Australia, UK, much of the English speaking world. And no doubt, you have, you know, ancestors, family of members, maybe you know people who’ve served in the military, and think about them. And the one thing I’ll wrap up with is, personally, this is not a day for me to get thanked for my service. I actually don’t like that whatsoever. Because this is not about me, but rather those 5 men I talked about.
Scott McCarthy [00:06:15]:
Thousands upon thousands of others who died in other conflicts. So, feel free to thank me for my service any other day, just not today. Because today is all about them. They shall not grow old as us who are left grow old. They should not wear them nor the years condemn. From the going down of the light to the evening sun, we will remember them.