When making values-based decisions becomes a risk to a leader’s career progression, a culture of silence, hesitation, or quiet resistance follows, says Dr Kate Robinson, director of CommuniKate Consulting and vice chair of Women Veterans Australia.
Dr Robinson’s PhD in ethics and leadership explored how ethical and values-based leadership increasingly challenges leaders in rules-based organisations.
“From my research, in highly codified organisations such as the military, education, healthcare and government, leading with values is often easier said than done,” Dr Robinson said.
At this month’s Better Boards Conference in Brisbane, Dr Robinson will discuss findings of her research into military leadership including the stark contradictions, tensions and paradoxes experienced by officers striving to implement values-based leadership within a strictly rules-based environment.
“Many officers spoke candidly of a culture where speaking out or making values-based decisions carries an unspoken cost – career progression.
“The perceived risk of challenging the status quo creates what some describe as a climate of silence, hesitation, or quiet resistance. Rather than act on personal conviction, many default to the safety of the rulebook,” she said.
A reward system reinforces rule-following behaviour even when it conflicts with values-based or virtuous leadership and it creates a paradox, Dr Robinson said.
“On one hand, an organisation, such as the military, may seek innovation and values-driven leadership. On the other, it remains deeply codified and rewards conformity. The result can lead to a culture where innovation and values are publicly championed but privately discouraged, leading to normalised behaviours that favour compliance over courage,” she said.
Balancing compliance, control and ethics
Dr Robinson said her research pointed to an increasingly urgent question for modern organisations and particularly those in the not-for-profit and public sectors about how to balance compliance and control with fostering ethical agency.
“The notion of compliance versus resistance highlights the intricate dance between organisational control and individual moral action. At its heart is the struggle to lead with integrity in systems that don’t always reward it.”
The Better Boards Conference is a two-day event that focuses on governance and leadership knowledge for board members, chief executive officers and directors of not-for-profit organisations.
Dr Robinson will share with delegates her virtuous leader model and practical strategies for ethical action. These include recruiting individuals with strong ethical foundations and not just technical expertise, and applying rules with fairness and moral intent, rather than blindly enforcing compliance.
When ethics are embedded into the daily fabric of an organisation, Dr Robinson said leaders were more likely to make principled choices, even when the stakes were high.
“Transparency thrives, accountability deepens, and long-term credibility is built from the inside out,” she said.
“Leaders surrounded by ethical norms are more inclined to listen to diverse perspectives, call out questionable behaviour, and prioritise people over profit or politics. The result? Better decisions that are not only effective but just.”
Dr Robinson is speaking on day one of the conference, which takes place on 25-26 July at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre and online.
Better Boards Conference snapshot
Other speakers and topics at the event include:
- Jonathan Teh, Russell Kennedy principal, speaking on the implementation of inclusive governance from a legal perspective
- Stephen Fernando, MADEC chair, discussing the value of management accounting in organisational sustainability
- Carolyn Grant, People Plus Science chief executive officer and founder, exploring the management of psychological safety and hazards, and leadership effectiveness, decision-making, and organisational resilience
- Aaron Goldsworthy, Australian Strategic Services senior consultant, discussing trends in board composition and size
- an AI masterclass for directors across three sessions presented by Arnold Wong, Advocare vice chair, Wendy Gumulya, Hoshizona Foundation chair, and Vera Visevic, Mills Oakley partner.
Access the full program and register for the event on the Better Boards Conference website.
This story first appeared on Australian Ageing Agenda, a Positive Impact Media publication. Australian Ageing Agenda is a media partner of Better Boards Conference 2025.