Zebras to Apples

Host Bryndis Whitson welcomes Steve Armstrong, a leadership expert with a career that spans the Canadian military, Canadian Red Cross, and many areas in between, to the show. Bryndis and Steve talk about military and emergency preparedness and how that fits in with supply chain logistics. Steve Armstrong’s experience with September 9/11 terrorist response, flood response, and military endeavors sheds much light on how supply chain is an integral part of emergency assistance.

Bryndis and Steve discuss the complexities of even something as seemingly simple as getting food rations, enough for 3 meals per day for 40 soldiers, to where the soldiers are stationed. Behind every soldier, Steve says, is an estimated 3 people in administration and logistics ensuring supplies flow smoothly. They talk about emergency response and the intricacies of not just getting help in but getting debris out and where to put it. There are many things to consider in the wake of a natural disaster in terms of the logistics of assistance. But Steve also stresses that at the end of every logistics problem is a real person impacted by a terrible circumstance and why keeping them in mind is so key. This episode demonstrates the ripple effect of supply chain during crisis events and how everything is tied together.

About Steve Armstrong:

Steven Armstrong worked worldwide as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Red Cross for more than four decades. On the literal frontlines for many of the globe’s most notable humanitarian crises during that time – ranging from the shores of Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami, to the aftermath of 9/11 in New York, to wildfires across Canada, to the devastation of floods [most recently in British Columbia} – Steve has proven, over and over again, what authentic leadership means.

Faced with complex missions and tasks that required extreme precision and unfailing resolve, Steve learned early on that properly inspiring his teams to act, move, and overcome obstacles would be the key to ongoing success. Rather than force compliance, he used his natural virtue, honour, and trustworthiness to motivate people. This exceedingly “human” side of his character enabled authentic connections and trust – instilling confidence, determination, and encouragement in all who followed his examples.

As a speaker, consultant, and author of You Can’t Lead From Behind, Steve uses humour, honesty, and a lifetime of hard-learned lessons to tell his story and teach others how to become better and more effective leaders. Through his global experience, his approach is down-to-earth and genuine, giving you and your leadership team the personalized tools and confidence they need to succeed.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• “Moving Mountains: Lessons in Leadership and Logistics from the Gulf War” by William G. Pagonis and Jeffrey L. Cruikshank

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Contact Bryndis Whitson:

• Website: ZebrasToApples.com
• Instagram: @ZebrasToApples
• LinkedIn
  
  

Contact Steve Armstrong:

• Website: StevenArmstrong.ca
• Steve Armstrong on LinkedIn
  
  

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Transcript

Bryndis Whitson: [00:00:03] Hi, my name is Bryndis Whitson, and you're listening to the Zebras to Apples podcast. The fun and fascinating stories of supply chain logistics. Fires, floods, tsunamis, hailstorms, earthquakes and volcanoes. They're all over the news. They truly impact all of us. And sometimes, when we least expect it. When an emergency occurs, are we prepared? What do we do to make sure that we're ready? As those of us in Girl Guides or Scouts would say, the old motto be prepared. My guest for this episode is my friend Steve Armstrong. He has spent his career making sure that institutions and organizations are prepared. Steve and I met when I was hosting a conference entitled Ready at a Moment's Notice The Logistics of the Military and Emergency Preparedness, which is exactly Steve's career. He has worked in the military with government, the Red Cross, and is a leadership expert and consultant, as well as an instructor at Mount Royal University. This interview was recorded in 2024 before the LA wildfires. When an emergency occurs, logistics experts are there to assist in the crisis, the cleanup and the rebuild. Please join me on this conversation with Steve Armstrong.

Bryndis Whitson: [00:01:23] Part of the way we met was you were working at the Red Cross, but previously before that you'd worked at the military. You've had a lot of different experiences. Maybe, let's start with just kind of a broad overview.

Steve Armstrong: [00:01:35] Oh my gosh. Okay. So it's been a checkered history I would say. I was kind of asked to leave high school because my guidance counselor suggested if I wasn't doing anything, I shouldn't do it there. And I had been a member of the Army Reserves at the time and then full time service after that. Luckily for me, because I didn't have much education and ended up working through a 22 year Army career, ending up in 98/99 as a retiring as an acting RSM and Sergeant Major. And then I spent three years in the Northwest Territories in a remote community, fly-in community with a winter road for a few months of the year called Norman Wells as a town administrator, town manager. And then I joined Red Cross the January of 2001. And I remember that distinctly, because when I was hired, I was told it was going to be a quiet, simple job, that we were to gear up and mobilize and train volunteers to be prepared to respond. And if anyone's even remotely aware, 2001 was the September 11th terrorism attack in New York City.

Bryndis Whitson: [00:02:51] Quite the timing.

Steve Armstrong: [00:02:52] Yeah, and there was also a papal visit and a big flood in the northwest or northern Ontario on James Bay. And that just launched this unbelievable trajectory into emergency and disaster management, and part of which included most every big disaster in Canada over those 12 years or so, including few trips to the States for both September 11th and then hurricanes, and then almost a year in Sri Lanka post tsunami, doing recovery work there for most of two, well, the tsunami was, if you can imagine, was 20 years ago this Christmas. And so most of 2005, I spent time both domestically and internationally working on the tsunami response. And then I ended up at the end of Red Cross, I was in charge of all of our operations in Alberta and Northwest Territories. Coincidentally, was Slave Lake and a bunch of big disasters here. We made the headlines several times in Alberta as Disaster Central and then a retiring after the southern Alberta floods, 2013. And then since then, I've been working as a consultant and a speaker and educator and coach around leadership and organizational issues for the last 10 or 11 years. So, yeah, it's quite a career.

Bryndis Whitson: [00:04:20] Very much so.

Steve Armstrong: [00:04:21] My guidance counselor would crap her pants if she knew what...