The first person I would like to acknowledge is a mythical ancestor: Air Vice Marshall, the Right Honourable, Doctor Sir Timothy Pascoe. As a child and then teenager, growing up following the second World War, there were people about, who carried such diverse honours. They had served their country with distinction in the armed forces, entered politics, acquired academic recognition and been honoured by the state. It seemed a thrilling achievement - and I created this imaginary being. Sadly, my own achievements pale into insignificance beside this paragon. But I mention my ancestor since he reflected, in somewhat embarrassing magnificence, an early interest in leadership. It was never a theoretical interest, either then or since, but a pragmatic observation of what leaders are like and what they do.
One of the first leaders I observed closely (though never knew well) was my father. A self-made man, he left school at the age of twelve. Serving in both World Wars, he achieved the rank of Brigadier. Between the wars, after one or more false starts, he established an engineering business. After returning from New Guinea in 1945, he built his company further, took it public and soon after nearly destroyed it through inattention. He died in 1956 when I was sixteen. His life, or the parts I observed, taught me lessons about leadership - both good and bad.
Looking back now, I have been fortunate in the range of leaders I have known - particularly in Australia but also to a degree in England and America. These people have operated in a wide range of fields: industry and commerce; politics and the bureaucracy; the arts and sciences; social agencies and philanthropic foundations.
The scope of their responsibilities have ranged from quite small teams to large organisations and, in a few cases, key roles in national governance. Some were well known, others perhaps leaders only in my eyes. However, from all of them, I have learnt something, which has contributed to the V|E|C|T|O|R framework. All are unknowingly godparents to V|E|C|T|O|R.
The bulk of my career has been in strategy - mainly as a consultant, but also in line leadership roles. I have been a chief executive in business, in the federal bureaucracy, in arts management and in political administration. I have also held board roles including the chairmanship of both commercial and voluntary organisations. I have, therefore, some direct understanding not only of the private but also the public sector; of the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. From my own mistakes and successes, I have learnt useful and sometimes painful lessons.
A number of people have been particularly helpful in testing the V|E|C|T|O|R framework. Top of this list are Peter Coupland and Denva Scott. They were the first to take the model and apply it in leadership consulting. Their feedback helped me hone both what V|E|C|T|O|R is and how it can be applied.
Others, like Diane Grady, made valuable suggestions after reading the original V|E|C|T|O|R outline. Still others, like Andrew Leithhead, Tom Hardy, Jeff Thompson, my brother, Jeremy, and my daughter, Olivia, read and commented on drafts of the original text. They picked up errors of logic, corrected grammar, contributed ideas, and generally helped me in a thousand ways.
Finally, there are many people, long dead, to whom I owe acknowledgment. I have read the biographies of many leaders: kings and queens, priests and popes, thinkers, generals, artists, scientists, politicians, explorers and captains of both navies and of industries. Of this group, if there were one I would rather be than who I am, it would be the Russian Prince, Gregorev Potemkin (1739-91). He was extraordinary: rising from relative obscurity to become a notable general and international statesman, also confidante, lover and (in reality though not officially) husband to Catherine the Great, with whom he had an unusual and creative partnership for several decades. He opened up vast tracts of territory for Russia through to the Black Sea. He established new industries and everywhere he travelled and lived across the empire, he built palaces and wonderful gardens. He also took with him an Italian composer and 100 musicians to ensure life was worth living. Like many good leaders, he had some less attractive traits but I will pass over these here.
Sadly, as you will see, I have not only failed to live up to the standards of my mythical Pascoe ancestor, I have also abandoned him as my leadership icon for someone more exalted in rank and more diverse in accomplishments.
Dr. Timothy Pascoe AM
PhD (Cambridge), MBA (Harvard), BE & BEc (Adelaide)
Creator, V|E|C|T|O|R Leadership®
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