You don’t forget the moment someone redefines what strategy looks like for you.

My first encounter with Donald McGurk, then CEO of Codan, came during a meeting where he handed me a single sheet of paper, with a few bullet points and short statements sketched in pencil, laid out in columns and boxes. "This is our company strategy," he said. "It’s taken three years to make that fit onto that page."

That one-page strategy helped steer Codan from a respected South Australian manufacturer into a global technology powerhouse, one that was debt-free, export-driven, and admired for both innovation and discipline. The kind of transformation most leaders dream of.

Years later, Donald joined one of my leadership lunch events. What followed wasn’t a keynote or a polished pitch. It was a raw, funny, deeply honest conversation about what it actually takes to lead through complexity, when the pressure is high, the path isn’t clear, and people are looking to you for certainty.

The stories he shared that day stuck with everyone in the room. Not because they were dramatic (although some were), but because they were real. Leadership, as he described it, wasn’t about being the smartest or loudest. It was about showing up with consistency, asking uncomfortable questions, and creating the conditions for others to do their best work.

These are the 10 leadership principles Donald McGurk used to guide Codan’s rise. Principles shaped not in a classroom, but in the middle of tough calls, strategic pivots, and global challenges.

Index quick links

• Leadership Principle 1: Be Consistent Under Pressure
• Leadership Principle 2: Build Trust Through Competence
• Leadership Principle 3: Hold On To Optimism
• Leadership Principle 4: Inspire Discretionary Effort
• Leadership Principle 5: Make Space By Listening
• Leadership Principle 6: Ask The Hard Questions
• Leadership Principle 7: Build A Feedback Culture
• Leadership Principle 8: Invite Consensus, Not Agreement
• Leadership Principle 9: Make The First Move
• Leadership Principle 10: Clear The Path For Others
• Putting Donald McGurk's Leadership Principles into Practice

Donald McGurk Speaking at a leadership luncheon. Photo Brenton Gowland

Donald McGurk’s Leadership Principles

Before I share the principles, it’s worth pausing to consider just how significant Donald’s impact was. During his time as CEO, he transformed Codan from a respected South Australian manufacturer into a formidable, billion-dollar global exporter. He navigated the company through a counterfeit product crisis in Africa, rebuilt its product integrity through advanced encryption, expanded into defence and critical communications, and led Codan to become debt-free and export-driven, with 85% of revenue coming from international markets. This wasn’t leadership from behind a desk, it was leadership forged in the middle of global pressure, market disruption, and personal resilience.

The following principles reflect what I heard directly from him. They’re not abstract theories, but the lived ideas of a leader who built something formidable and lasting. Principles shaped not in a classroom, but in the middle of tough calls, strategic pivots, and global challenges.

Donald McGurk Talking about his 10 Leadership principles. Photo Brenton Gowland

Principle 1: Be Consistent Under Pressure

One thing Donald made clear is that consistency under pressure isn’t optional. It’s essential. In Donald’s words, there’s nothing more unsettling than a leader who swings between moods. Whether you're winning or wobbling, the team needs to see stability. It’s about being the same person when the pressure is low and when shit hits the fan.

“No one wants to be around a nervous Nellie.”

 

Principle 2: Build Trust Through Competence

Another principle he lives by is that trust isn’t something you give away. It’s something people earn. Donald once said he used to trust people too quickly. That changed. Now, he only extends deep trust when he sees consistent, capable delivery.

“Show me competence, and I’ll show you trust.”

 

Principle 3: Hold Onto Optimism

And through all the challenges, he never lost his optimism. Not the blind kind, but the kind that fuels action. Through marriage breakdowns, company crises, and strategic resets, Donald held a deep belief that better was possible. Optimism, for him, wasn’t soft. It was fuel.

“My definition of success is simple: if I wake up and I’m not dead, it’s a good day. Now let’s do something with it.”

 

Principle 4: Inspire Discretionary Effort

Donald also spoke about what it takes to truly unlock effort that goes beyond the job description. Leadership isn’t about barking instructions. It’s about creating the kind of culture where people want to give more than the bare minimum.

"You can’t demand discretionary effort. You earn it."

 

Principle 5: Make Space by Listening

He admitted listening didn’t come naturally to him. But he learned that great leaders make space for other voices. Donald described himself as a “puppy dog”—enthusiastic and impatient. But he forced himself to slow down, listen, and let others process in their own time.

“It used to kill me in meetings. But when I shut up, they spoke up. That changed everything.”

 

Principle 6: Ask the Hard Questions

He also learned that asking the hard questions, the ones that make everyone squirm, is where growth begins. Great questions make people uncomfortable. They challenge assumptions. Donald embraced the discomfort because that’s where progress lives.

“A great question makes both of us squirm. But we come out smarter on the other side.”

Principle 7: Build a Feedback Culture

Feedback was another cornerstone. Donald didn’t just promote it; he built it into the culture. He didn’t just tell people to give feedback, he hired actors and coaches to teach them how. Codan teams learned to give honest, constructive, respectful feedback that fuelled growth.

“It changed the organisation. We taught people to say the hard thing with care. That changed how we operated.”

Principle 8: Invite Consensus, Not Agreement

When it came to decision-making, Donald’s approach was pragmatic and people-focused. Donald made it clear that you won’t get universal agreement. And you don’t need it. But people need to feel heard, respected, and able to live with the decision.

“Once we make the call, we move together. No I-told-you-sos.”

 

Principle 9: Make the First Move

He often reminded his team that leadership decisions are more like chess than math. If you’re waiting for perfect information, you’re already dead. Donald used a chess piece on his desk to remind people that decisions create momentum.

“It’s not static. You move. The world moves. Then you adjust."

 

Principle 10: Clear the Path for Others

And perhaps most importantly, he realised that being a leader isn’t about having the answers. It’s about clearing the way so others can find them. This one flips the script. Leaders don’t need to solve everything. They need to assemble the right people, support them, and get out of the way.

“I used to think being CEO meant knowing everything. Turns out, it meant getting the right people what they needed and then stepping aside."

 

Leadership Luncheon Attendees with Donald McGurk. Photo Brenton Gowland

Putting These Principles Into Practice

Donald McGurk didn’t just lead Codan through growth. He led through counterfeit crises, strategic reinvention, and global expansion, transforming a South Australian manufacturer into a billion-dollar export success.

What stands out most is how grounded his approach is. These aren’t theories. They are lived principles, shaped by pressure, reflection, and decision-making. Putting them into practice doesn’t start with a manual. It starts with a pause.

For me, the first step is simply this: pause and reflect. Ask which ones you recognise in your own leadership—and which ones feel uncomfortable. That discomfort might be the most valuable signal of all.

As I reflect on his impact, both in business and on my own thinking, I keep coming back to this:

Leadership isn’t about having the answers. It’s about creating the environment where better answers can emerge.

🔑 Donald McGurk's Leadership Reminders

✅  Be consistent. Especially when things get messy.
✅  Trust is earned. Competence first, confidence later.
✅  Optimism fuels progress. Even when the path isn't clear.
✅  Discretionary effort is inspired, not demanded.
✅  Listen first. Especially when it's hard.
✅  Ask the hard questions. Discomfort = Growth.
✅  Create a culture of feedback. And model how to give it.
✅  Seek consensus, not agreement. Move together.
✅  Make the first move. Even when the data's imperfect.
✅  Clear the path. Let others do their best work.

Which of these principles challenges you most right now?

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