Improving the culture of any organisation is a tall order for a leader. The task is particularly daunting when the institution has a long history of entrenched sexism and has previously shown few signs of changing.
But as the Australian Chief of Army Lieutenant General David Morrison has demonstrated, changing the way people think about gender discrimination within an organisation is possible, and can help counter a host of different problems – pay gaps, a lack of women in management, and in the more extreme cases, assault and violence.
Lt General Morrison became a Youtube sensation last year when he recorded an unequivocal condemnation of sexism and misogyny in the Australian military. Since that speech, he has made it his mission to change the deeply entrenched culture of sexism in the army, to better engage women and stop the occurrence of sexual assault and harassment among troops.
And despite the fact he’s working in an organisation with one of Australia’s longest histories of gender discrimination, he has been very successful.
He has dramatically increased the number of women in the army by setting clear targets and measuring his progress towards them. He has also worked closely with the men in the army guilty of mistreating women, and by doing so has managed to change the way young men see how their behaviour impacts others.
Perhaps most importantly, he has worked with the women in the army who have been the victims of sexism, misogyny and gendered violence in order to better understand how and where it occurs. He has also spoken to the UN about tackling the use of rape as a weapon of war and about harsher penalties for gendered war crimes.
He has done all of this in less than two years.
So when author and commentator Anne Summers decided to dedicate the next installment in her Anne Summers In Conversation series to changing institutional cultures and ridding them of sexism, Lt General Morrison was an obvious choice.
“Lt General Morrison has a real depth to his understanding of misogyny and sexism which is so unusual for men in senior positions. He understands that there are many examples of times the army has failed as an institution because it does not allow women to participate as full team members,” Summers told Women’s Agenda.
Summers also said that she believes Morrison has been very successful in changing the army’s culture.
“I’ve talked to several male senior officers in the army who say the messages have come through that the army has to change, and that it is already changing,” she said.
“Of course it is very difficult, the army is such a large organisation and even though you can tell people how they should behave, changing what’s in their heads and their own perception of appropriate behaviour happens very slowly. But it is certainly happening.”
So what does Summers think are the main reasons Morrison has been able to achieve such a formidable task in such a short time?
“He has established the rules and types of behaviour that are and aren’t acceptable within this organisation, but more importantly he has shown there will be severe consequences for those who break the rules. 200 people have been sacked from the army so far, which shows that he is serious,” she said.
“Secondly, if you want something to happen, you have to set up a target or goal or quota. You have to decide what you want and you have to have a way of measuring it. Lt General Morrison set up thistarget of wanting to recruit an additional 600 women to the army and, while he has fallen slightly short of that target, he has still doubled the number of women enrolled in the army.”
Summers also said it is particularly significant for a man in a position of authority to be speaking out publicly against institutionalised sexism.
“One of the ways we change the culture of an organisation is by talking about it and I think it is particularly instructive when a man speaks out about these issues, but especially somebody in his position – a general who wears a uniform and comes from that culture and that world,” she said.
“To have a man in that position talking the way that he does stops you in your tracks and makes you listen.”
Morrison’s commitment to speaking out against sexism has already made people listen – his YouTube video has over one and a half million views.
Importantly, Summers says that the lessons we can learn from Morrison apply to any organisation – a business, a government, or an executive board.
“What all organisations have to realise is that all of these things are connected – the way you present yourself, the culture you have and how you portray yourself all speak to who you are. If you put forward an image of a male-dominated culture then that will be off putting to women,” she said.
“The problems Morrison identified as being related to sexism and gender discrimination are common to all organisations – discrimination against women, excluding women from teams, not promoting women, holding women to different standards, and sexual harassment and abuse.”
“There are a lot of us interested in how we go about changing the culture of an organisation and ridding it of these systemic problems, and I think Morrison’s journey can teach us a lot about that.”
Details and tickets for Anne Summers in Conversation with Lieutenant General Morrison can be found here.
Anne Summers in Conversation with Lieutenant General David Morrison AO, Chief of Army [with audience Q&A]
One night only
Thursday 26 February
6:30pm – 8pm
City Recital Hall
Angel Place
Sydney