Greg Latemore
Greg is a part-time university lecturer, a civil funeral celebrant, and a children’s book author. He was a management consultant for forty years, specialising in leadership, strategy and organisational behaviour. His PhD challenged the view that human beings at work were merely ‘human resources’. He is married and lives on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. He has published previous articles in Pearls and Irritations on leadership, religion, and grief.
Greg's recent articles
3 May 2025
A fistful of dollars: The dumbing down of Australian election campaigns
We are mugs. This seems to be the first assumption behind most Australian election campaigns.
27 January 2025
I'm going 'Trump sober' in 2025
Pearls & Irritations have graciously published the many articles I have written over the last five years on Donald Trump. I’ve written about his inciting the insurrection on 6th January 2021; examined his lack of moral virtue using Aristotle’s taxonomy as a template, contrasted him with other world leaders; and critiqued his negative influence as a pseudo-transformational leader. I’ve spent time and energy thinking about this man, and the possible implications for leaders elsewhere apart from the good olde US of A. However, from now on, I’ve decided to go ‘Trump sober.’
2 January 2025
Leadership lessons: ‘Look back in anger’ or ‘look forward in hope’
Students of leadership might shake their heads in disbelief at the recent re-elevation of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States of America. What comes to mind, is a play written in 1956 by John Osborne, called ‘Look Back in Anger’ giving rise to the phrase ‘angry young men’.
17 April 2024
Responding to tragedy
Much has already been said and written about the recent tragic stabbings at Bondi Junction. Daily, we are also exposed to stories about the ravages of war, hopefully neither suppressing nor being overwhelmed by them. As a funeral celebrant, I am familiar with, but never complacent about death and suffering - indeed, it is a privilege to stand with those who miss and celebrate the lives of their loved ones. How can we deal with all this death and suffering?
27 May 2023
A deep sadness: reflections about the racist treatment of Stan Grant
As the people of Thailand say, same, same. Here we go again. Another indigenous Australian, and this one an educated, travelled, and articulate First Nation public intellectual is being maligned.
20 May 2023
Grief and closure
Grief is not something we get over, or we must move on from. The truth is we grow into grief; we do not get closure from it.
18 February 2023
Valuable or valued: implications for employment policy
If the COVID-19 pandemic is teaching us anything it is the important contribution of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, allied health professionals, hospital workers and teachers. Health, people, and communities are precious.
22 January 2023
The bell tolls for Pell and the church I knew
As some gather to honour the passing of Cardinal George Pell, I lament what the Church has become under clerics like him. When I was a priest (1975-1980), the Church had a credible voice, and priests were respected as pastoral leaders. With some hope for the future, my feelings lately are of sadness.
9 September 2021
Scott Morrison: anti-leader, absent leader, or maverick?
What sort of a leader is Scott Morrison? Most of us want our leaders to do well but does our PM have the capacity to do so? Has he grown as a leader in the role or not?
18 July 2021
The wisdom of crowds during COVID-19. Really?
James Surowiecki made a convincing case in his book The Wisdom of Crowds (2004) arguing that many of us usually make better decisions than do a few of us. However, some of us are now shaking our heads in disbelief at the collective stupidity of people during these COVID-19 days. What is going on here?
10 April 2021
Oligarchy versus Democracy: choices of power for leaders
At coffee with some mates recently, we puzzled over this it seems the political choice evident in world affairs at present is not between democracy and communism but between democracy and oligarchy.
3 April 2021
Moments of truth for Morrison: lessons in transformational leadership
Many of us are watching and listening intently to our PM and his Government at present. There are some serious lessons to be learnt about leadership. Two are suggested here one being transformational leadership; the other concerning moments of truth. Morrison and his Government dont seem to grasp either.
18 March 2021
The Trouble with Men: the reason for March4Justice
This is embarrassing to write as I share the gender and the age demographic of many who are problematic in our society. What is it with some men? What dont we get? Dont we realise we cant and shouldnt treat women the way some of us do?
30 January 2021
Is Trump a virtuous person? Lets ask Aristotle
As Donald Trump has departed the world stage, one wonders about the man he is. Lets look behind his Presidency, and use Aristotles 12 virtues to assess Trump, the person.
23 January 2021
Meanness versus mindfulness: Trump versus Biden
The contrast in the content and tone of the final days of Trumps Presidency and the early days of Bidens is stark. Trump bungled, blamed, and bullied; Biden already seems competent, considered, and compassionate. Apart from Me-ness, Trumps Presidency was also characterised by Meanness; Biden is already showing a certain Mindfulness.
12 January 2021
Flawed followership fosters failed leadership
The visual gallery of the front-liners who broke into the Capitol building is revealing. Long have Americans had a fascination for the cult of individual leadership. Uncritical and sycophantic admiration of a political leader only leads to endorsing their entitled autocracy.
19 April 2020
GREG LATEMORE. A Tale of Two Leaders-Trump and Ardern.
The contrast between two national leaders in these interesting times could not be more pronounced. The differences between Americas President Donald Trump and New Zealands Prime Minister, Jacinta Ardern are remarkable.
20 January 2020
GREG LATEMORE. Can Scott Morrison Learn to Lead?
Scott Morrison is facing a significant leadership challenge: how to learn to deal with wicked problems. The PMs situation is complicated by a manifest loss of confidence in his capacity to do so. The question is - can Scott Morrison (or any leader) learn to lead?
14 January 2020
GREG LATEMORE. Morrison's Leadership - Some inconvenient truths about authenticity.
Morrisons Leadership Inconvenient Truths Scott Morrison has recently confronted important truths about leadership your credibility as a leader has to be earned and it is very easy to lose it. Just being confirmed in the position as a leader does not necessarily make that person a leader.