Welcome

On Tuesday I attended the 2026 Annual Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Conference: Engineering for Communities, hosted by the Royal Academy of Engineering.

It was a really thoughtful event bringing together voices from across the profession to explore how engineering can better serve the communities around us.

I had some great conversations throughout the day and left with plenty of ideas and reflections. I’ll share a few deeper insights in next week’s newsletter.

When Silence Becomes Dangerous

It’s been a while since I’ve published a new article, but after my TEDx talk went live last week, I felt compelled to write something that expands on the core idea behind it.

The piece explores a theme that sits at the heart of my work through The SAFE Leader: what happens when people in engineering feel unable to speak.

When silence becomes normalised in teams and organisations, risks can hide in plain sight. And when individuals, particularly men in engineering, feel they cannot share their experiences, concerns or struggles, the consequences can extend far beyond workplace culture.

In the article I explore why storytelling matters for safety culture and why leaders must create environments where people feel SAFE to speak.

The SAFE Leader Workshop Reminder

Last week we ran the first of the interactive SAFE Leader workshop for March, and it was fantastic to see the engagement from participants.

Attendees explored the framework using the SAFE Leader scorecard, reflecting on how safe their organisations feel across the four pillars — Share, Act, Feel and Empower — and discussing practical ways leaders can strengthen trust and psychological safety in their teams.

If you weren’t able to join the first session, there’s still one more opportunity coming up.

Next workshop: 17 March | 12pm

This session introduces the SAFE Leader Framework and explores how leaders can build cultures of trust, inclusion and psychological safety within their organisations.

This Week on The SAFE Leader Podcast

This week I’m joined by Stephanie Sylvestre, technologist, entrepreneur and systems thinker whose career spans global corporations, public service and community impact.

From growing up in Belize to leading transformation work within organisations like Burger King and The Children’s Trust, Stephanie shares how her career has always been guided by one principle: technology should uplift people, not replace them.

In our conversation we explore leadership, trust and the ways expectations shape human potential. Stephanie also takes us inside the story behind Avatar Buddy, her AI platform designed to create intuitive digital mentors and preserve knowledge, culture and lived experience through digital twins.

Together we discuss the future of AI, how leaders can stay human in a rapidly changing technological world, and why expanding access to knowledge can unlock opportunity for communities everywhere.

Let’s Connect!

Please reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn if we are not already connected.

I love helping organisations where the angle I take with the work I do might help in someway have you make traction in your culture.

Feel free to get in touch here.

Stay SAFE!