maturity

The cost of always being right

Many men grow up receiving messages that competence, strength, and certainty are essential parts of their identity. The challenge is that when self-worth becomes tied to being right, admitting a mistake can feel like a threat rather than an opportunity to learn. In these moments, protecting the ego can become more important than acknowledging the impact of our actions on others. I think leadership, maturity, and personal growth require a different response, it requires the ability to say, "I was wrong," to learn from mistakes, and to take responsibility for repairing trust when it has been damaged.

I often wonder how much stronger our institutions would be if more people, particularly those in positions of power, felt comfortable admitting mistakes and learning from them. How much more trust would exist? How much better would collaboration become? I also wonder what impact this would have on individual wellbeing. Many people carry the burden of believing they must be perfect, strong, or in control at all times. Yet our worth is not determined by perfection, it’s found in our capacity for growth, connection, and authenticity. I think one of the greatest signs of strength is not being right all the time, but being willing to learn when we are wrong. What do you think?

Deflecting responsibility

A common pattern is the deflection of responsibility. Accountability can feel threatening when self-perception is fragile, leading to shifting narratives or redirecting blame. I think this limits both individual and organisational growth. Emotional maturity is demonstrated through the ability to acknowledge responsibility clearly and without defensiveness.

Feeling exposed

Individuals with low emotional maturity often struggle to separate feedback from personal attack. As a result, their response can become defensive, particularly when the feedback is accurate. What appears as resistance is often a reaction to feeling exposed rather than an objective engagement with the message. I think emotional maturity, by contrast, involves the ability to sit with discomfort, reflect, and respond thoughtfully rather than reactively.

We are fed up of tokenism

Inclusion for me means the practices and programs that have the effect of giving power and voice to traditionally or historically opposed groups and individuals.
- What has your organisation actually done to demonstrate inclusion?
- What have you really done to demonstrate that this “minority” person has the power, resources, support, and the voice to enact change within your organisation?

Contact me here or via e-mail for a meeting to discuss your organisation's DEI maturity level.

DEI maturity audit

Are you aware of which phase your organisation currently occupies?
Phase one involves simple awareness and compliance. In phase two, organisations recognise the business benefits of DEI and take action beyond HR and compliance. Moving into phase three, leaders integrate DEI into business processes, measure progress, and hold each other accountable for results. Finally, in phase four, DEI becomes ingrained in the culture, essentially taken for granted as "the way we do business here."
Contact me here, or via e-mail to arrange a DEI maturity audit meeting.

Words have consequences

When you are a young company, your story will define your valuation and as a founder the words you use to describe your business can be the difference between finding an investment partner or not. With mature companies, it’s your numbers that will drive your valuation as the older a company the more the numbers drive the valuation. Start-up companies need “Steve the visionary” as CEO. As they become a young growth company they will need, “Bob the builder” because they have to start building a business. When they become a mature company, they will need “Don the defender” as CEO and when they are in decline, they will need “Larry the liquidator”.

It's all about discovery

Who Are You.jpg

Nowadays, we are living in a moment in history where compromise is a dirty word, and everything seems to be about conflict and blame. The old phase, “my way or the highway” appears more prevalent than ever and I for one would like to get more people to face up to their own hypocrisy. Day after day I am trying to live up to the basic human responses - honesty, empathy, courtesy, patience and goodwill.


I know that the best strategies mean nothing if you don’t have the resources to execute them, fortunately, when it comes to myself - I am more than capable. I am analytical and “even” Stephen because of my balance. Some would say that I am skeptical of convention and pretence, others would say that I am wise, funny and gracious.


What are my priorities today? And, how will I be of service today? These are far more valid daily questions than worrying about what people think of you.