In Norman Dixon’s classic work On the Psychology of Military Organisation Incompetence, he studies 11 instances of shocking failures from the Crimean War to World War II and largely rejects the “bloody fool theory” of military incompetence.
Dixon, a British psychologist, argues that the real culprit in most cases is “the authoritarian mindset”. Commanders so fear failure that they will not admit it and reject unpalatable information, so problems remain uncorrected.
“When all that is natural creative, flexible, warm and outgoing in the human spirit becomes crushed and constricted, such qualities of leadership as compassion, bold decisions and military flair give way to conformity, sycophantism, indecision and fear of failure,” wrote Dixon in 1976.
~ *** Protego of Corporate Plans
Halfway between Melbourne and Adelaide on South Australia's Limestone Coast, you can always find travellers stopping for a scenic place to stretch their legs at WarWar, the famed Blue Lake.
Named after Lord James Gambier
Australia's most recent volcanic eruption took place at Mount Gambier in South Australia around 5000 years ago.
In Mount Gambier's case, magma interacted with ground water to create an eruption with a volcanic explosivity index of four, which is a similar size to Iceland's Eyjafjallajkull eruption in 2010.
Iceland volcanic eruption a reminder of Australia's explosive past
Mt Gambier South Australia Travel Blog - video
If you didn't know any better, a walk around Berrin (Mount Gambier) could feel like Slavic High Tatra Mountains or England's own Lakes District. With a few extra red gums.
Home to serious rainfall, Mount Gambier is a walker's paradise
The blue lake was formed about 500 (sic) years ago during a volcanic eruption. The lake itself is the window to large unconfined aquifer. Another fact I didn’t know until today was that the water from this aquifer takes 2000 to 4000 years to reach the coast. Mt Gambier is about a 30 minute drive to the coast. Once thought to be bottom less, it measures 72 metres deep. Groundwater has filtered down to this layer and which in turn has become an aquifer for the region.Each year around the end of November, the lake turns from grey into a vibrant turquoise shade of blue.
New owner Michael Kosch, a well-known name in the hotel and tourism business in Mount Gambier, has grand plans for the iconic property.(Michael is known At Adelaide’ Mount Lofty House)
“We have forayed in the luxury experience and celebration market with a similar property, The Delgattie Estate, and are keen to do the same with Colhurst House,” Mr Kosch said.
“We are very conscious of the character of this home and are looking to bring the gardens back to life. In fact, any changes we make would be to improve the guest experience and present it as a unique venue for weddings and celebrations,” he said.
