CONTENT

The guest today is Graham Goulden a much sought after international speaker, leadership and violence prevention trainer. For thirty years he was a Scottish police officer specialising in criminal investigation, drug investigation, training, and crime prevention. For the last eight years of his career, he was a Chief Inspector and a key member of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit. It was during this time that Graham was able to put right what had become an occurring issue for him during his policing career. Often, when interviewing people who had witnessed abuse and violence, Graham was met with the words, “I knew something was going to happen”.

Graham is a passionate advocate of the bystander approach to help develop personal and organisational leadership to help create safe and supportive learning environments, workplaces, and performance teams.

On this pod we discuss how toxic cultures and rigid hierarchies often suppress "good people" from intervening when they witness misconduct, errors, or poor well-being among their peers. By utilizing behavioural science, Graeme advocates for a shift from passive observation to proactive intervention, aiming to save careers and prevent harm before it escalates to a reportable offense. The conversation highlights how redefining loyalty and fostering emotional intelligence in leadership can transform institutional environments. Ultimately, the source emphasizes that cultural change is driven by empowering staff to support one another and challenge harmful behaviours in the moment.

Graham's book choices on Desert Islands Dits are "Why We Act - Turning Bystanders Into Moral Rebels" (Known as "The Bystander Effect" in the UK) by Catherine Sanderson and "The Lucifer Effect - How Good People turn Evil" by Philip Zimbardo.

WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES

Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales.

"BUY ME A COFFEE"

If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.

Facebook @lateo82.

Twitter @TheUCS473.

Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.

Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.

This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENT

My guests today are Neale Smiles and Ian Garnett. Regular listener will know Neale from previous podcasts where we have discussed defence and technology issues.

Ian, is a former New Zealand Army officer who transitioned from a career in the army to become a successful defence technology entrepreneur. He discusses his extensive military background, including specialised training in digital fire control systems and his experience with large-scale live-firing exercises.

After leaving the forces, he developed a sophisticated, software-based system that modernises the sensor-to-shooter link, allowing for rapid, silent and fully digital communication between observers and weapon platforms. The discussion highlights the challenges small firms face in the defence industry, the importance of interoperability within NATO, and how software-driven innovation is currently reshaping modern warfare. Growing success has seen his technology integrated into several international militaries, proving that agile start-ups can outperform established defence giants.

Ian's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is "Rommel, Gunner Who?" by Spike Milligan.

WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES

Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales.

"BUY ME A COFFEE"

If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.

Facebook @lateo82.

Twitter @TheUCS473.

Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.

Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.

This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENT

My guest is retired Lt Col Derek Plews, a man whose career has spanned journalism, the MOD press office, and 37 years of military service as a reservist including operations in Afghanistan

Now, he has turned his focus to a critical chapter of the war in that theatre: the siege of Musa Qal'ah in 2006. In his book, "Shamrock Among the Poppies - Musa Qal'ah 2006 a bloody siege and the failures behind it" Derek gives a voice to the 87 soldiers—predominantly from the Royal Irish Regiment—who found themselves surrounded, outnumbered, and fighting for survival in a crumbling mud-brick compound.

In this episode, we discuss the controversial platoon house strategy, the political optics that often overrode military logic, and the harrowing reality of a garrison facing multiple Taliban assaults a day over 5 weeks. We also examine the messy negotiated withdrawal and the profound mental toll this high-intensity warfare took on the soldiers who returned.

Derek's book choices on Desert Islands Dits are "Sand and steel - A new history of D-Day" by Peter Caddick Adams and "First day of the Somme" by Martin Middlebrook. My choice is Derek's Book "Shamrock Among the Poppies".

WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES

Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales.

"BUY ME A COFFEE"

If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.

Facebook @lateo82.

Twitter @TheUCS473.

Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.

Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.

This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.