Battlefield To Boardroom

Joanne Lockwood speaks with former army officer and leadership coach Taran Kumar about his journey from hospitality into the military, and later into the corporate world. Taran describes what drew him into service, the selection process, and the leadership lessons he learned by leading troops in extreme environments.

He recounts a high-altitude conflict in which he was seriously wounded, the realities of survival and decision-making under pressure, and the recovery process that followed. The experience reshaped his outlook, deepening his empathy and reinforcing the value of trust, morale, and shared purpose.

Bringing those lessons into the boardroom, Taran contrasts military cohesion with corporate environments where distrust, competition, and poor cross-department communication can undermine performance. He argues for more inclusive structures that value so-called non-revenue roles, involve people across levels in planning, and create space to challenge plans before execution. Through practical analogies—from football, chess, and security during the pandemic—he offers a clear case for building teams where everyone is recognised as essential to long-term success.

One-sentence summary

A man who almost died on a frozen battlefield now dedicates his life to proving that trust, shared purpose and human dignity are the real forces that help us survive — in war and in work.

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Synopsis

Taran Kumar is not defined by the medals or the titles; he is defined by the night he thought he might not see his parents again. A former hotelier who joined the Army almost on a dare, he found himself at 20,000 feet in sub-zero combat, pulling shrapnel from his own body while leading men who were looking to him for steadiness. Mortally wounded, walking through thigh-deep snow as his blood froze against the air, he kept himself alive by humming songs and holding on to one simple thought: “If I have lived so far, probably I will live another day.” That experience did not harden him — it softened him. He says he became “more understanding, more empathetic”, less suspicious of people’s intent and more willing to trust.

Now a leadership coach, he carries that same battlefield clarity into boardrooms. What he is trying to change is not strategy but spirit: the silent erosion of trust inside organisations. He has seen companies where people “will not hesitate by taking someone else’s credit” and where only revenue generators feel valued. He is building something different — workplaces where people feel they matter, where the finance assistant, the security guard and the sales executive all understand the shared mission. Because he has seen what happens when humans bind together across religion, regiment and rank. And he knows that without belonging, everything else collapses.

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10 Small, digestible concepts for easy learning

1. Leadership is belonging in action.

He followed the faith of his soldiers because unity mattered more than personal display.

2. Trust is built before the crisis.

Five men volunteered to risk their lives with him — that wasn’t luck, it was earned.

3. Survival begins in the mind.

He sang to avoid shock; hope kept his body going.

4. You don’t lead culture — you join it.

A leader adapts to their people; they do not impose themselves upon them.

5. The unseen roles are often mission-critical.

Security guards hold the first and last impression of a company.

6. Feedback is an act of respect.

Ignoring the voice of the sales team is ignoring the customer.

7. Purpose must cascade.

If the person at the ‘bottom’ cannot name the vision, it isn’t shared.

8. Invite challenge before issuing orders.

In battle briefings, disagreement was welcome because lives were at stake.

9. Profit without culture is fragile.

Without trust, ambition becomes sabotage.

10. Human brilliance is universal.

“We are all brilliant in some way or the other.”

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The “why” in the story

What they believe is true about people

That people rise when they feel seen, trusted and bound by shared purpose.

What they cannot unsee

Strangers risking their lives for him because of a uniform and a bond.

What they are no longer willing to tolerate

Cynicism, territorialism, and workplaces where people feel expendable.

What they are trying to build instead

Organisations that function like healthy units — united, communicative and accountable to one another.

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Narrative structure

1. The trigger:

Being shot at 20,000 feet, not knowing the internal damage, walking down a glacier while bleeding and wondering if he would ever see his family again.

2. The tension:

Returning to civilian life and witnessing organisations driven by rivalry instead of trust — environments where people compete destructively for limited recognition.

3. The insight:

In both war and business, the strongest force is not power — it is cohesion. A uniform united soldiers who had never met; shared purpose can unite employees who rarely speak.

4. The pivot:

Choosing empathy over suspicion. Moving from command-by-authority to influence-through-trust. Helping companies host open briefings where people question plans before execution.

5. The destination:

Workplaces where people feel they belong to something bigger than their job title — where collaboration feels natural, not forced.

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Five key takeaways and learning points

1. People will follow leaders who stand with them, not above them.

Shared identity builds courage in moments of risk.

2. Inclusion is practical, not sentimental.

When every team understands its role, performance improves.

3. Transparency reduces internal warfare.

When strategy is hoarded, suspicion fills the gaps.

4. Respect the quiet contributors.

Dignity grows when people know their work matters.

5. Empathy is forged through suffering — but it can be practised without it.

You don’t need a battlefield to choose understanding.

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Ten distinct ideas explained

1. The Uniform Effect

A shared identity dissolves differences. On the mountain, religion disappeared; what mattered was survival together.

2. Shock Before Injury

In trauma, people often succumb to panic more than wounds. In organisations, morale collapses before performance does.

3. Cultural Adaptation in Leadership

He joined the prayers of his troops because connection matters more than personal comfort.

4. Invisible Labour Matters

Security staff shape experience and safety, yet are rarely valued. Belonging starts at the front door.

5. Ego as Organisational Enemy

Credit stealing erodes teamwork. Recognition withheld creates quiet resentment.

6. Shared Briefing as Psychological Safety

Inviting critique before action reduces blame after failure.

7. Communication as Oxygen

Purpose must flow from top to bottom; without it, teams suffocate.

8. Overproduction as Misalignment

Energy without coordination wastes resources. Inclusion prevents silos.

9. Hope as Strategy

Humming on a mountain was not denial — it was a survival tactic.

10. Human Brilliance is Democratic

Insight can come from housekeeping as readily as from management.

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How people should change as a result

1. Think

• From: “Leadership means control.” → To: “Leadership means connection.”
• From: “Only revenue matters.” → To: “Every function enables survival.”
• From: “Culture is fluffy.” → To: “Culture is operational strength.”
• From: “I have to compete to survive.” → To: “We survive together.”

2. Feel

• From defensiveness to curiosity.
• From suspicion to trust.
• From hierarchy to humility.
• From fear of losing credit to pride in collective wins.

3. Act

• Share the wider mission openly with every level of staff.
• Ask one non-revenue team this week how their work helps customers.
• Invite someone junior to critique your plan before execution.
• Publicly acknowledge a behind-the-scenes contributor.
• Create informal briefing spaces where questioning is safe.
• Replace blame with joint problem-solving after setbacks.

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One thing to remember

People don’t fight hardest for authority — they fight hardest for belonging.