In our last conversation with Stew Darling, CEO of Unstoppable Force, former British Army officer and spy turned elite strategist, global keynote speaker, business transformation coach and BPTW™ Advocate Partner, we unpacked the idea of being ‘unreasonable, and the subtle but powerful mindset shift from leadership to captaincy. We explored how captains can stretch beyond convention to empower their teams to step into courageous conversations that truly elevate performance and connection.

Now, we continue the journey by diving into Stew’s perspective on what it really means to raise the standard in captaincy. At the heart of his message is the connection between captaincy and service and the vital role values play in creating aligned, high-performing cultures.

Captaincy begins with purpose, and love

Many books have been written and movies made about the classic existential crisis - what is my life’s purpose?

Stew offers a powerful reframing of purpose; it’s not a destination, but instead is a continual journey intertwined with our daily actions and commitments. Rather than waiting for a lightning bolt of clarity, he encourages us to view our purpose as something more fluid - something we live every day. 

From his life journey as a boy scout, husband, father, spy, military commander, and now CEO of Unstoppable Force, Stew has come to believe that the deepest, most universal purpose is to love and be loved. He also believes that when captains anchor themselves in this mindset, everything changes. Captaincy becomes less about control or performance and more about care, connection, and the growth of others. Stew calls this ‘captaincy as service’. It’s about showing up for your people with humility, clarity, and commitment—guiding not with authority, but presence. 

‘Being the best captain you can be means serving the people in your care with the tools, information and space they need to become the best versions of themselves’. 

Values are the foundation for higher standards

If service is the heart of captaincy, then values are the compass. Stew lives by a simple but rigorous practice: each morning he reflects on his personal values, and each evening he asks himself whether he lived them. 

“More often than not I don’t score 100%, but I know the direction I want to travel. And I want people’s perception of me to be shaped by my core values.”

Whether or not we’re conscious of it, all of us make decisions based on our values. And when those values are clearly defined and actively lived, they become a powerful force for alignment, both personally and with the organisations we work for. 

The ideal outcome is when personal values are bridged with organisational values. When these values are in sync, trust flows naturally. When they’re not, misalignment can lead to friction, disconnection, and underperformance. 

Organisational values should be an active part of everyday activities. Regularly review and update them if needed. And, keep them alive by making them part of daily or weekly conversations. 

• Use them to guide organisational decisions and strategy. 
• Empower the team to hold each other accountable and make them part of team building activities. 
• Use them in hiring - choose people whose values align, not just those with the right skills. 
• Weave them into conflict resolution to constructively resolve workplace issues by giving the conversation a values-basis rather than focusing on individual behaviours.  

Trust and intrinsic motivation 

When captains consistently walk the walk, they build trust. This trust isn’t transactional - it’s deeply relational. It is rooted in knowing what your captain stands for and seeing them live it every day. Like with your favourite brands, you return over and over. You trust them because they consistently deliver, which is why ‘Trust in leadership’ is one of the nine pillars underpinning Best Places to Work™.  The same is true with captaincy - consistency builds credibility, and credibility builds loyalty.

What happens next is even more powerful: intrinsic motivation—when people no longer work just for their pay cheque and instead work for a shared purpose. For something that reflects who they are and what they care about. Connection to purpose is another of BPTW™’s nine pillars, and it is grounded in the principle that when intrinsic motivation is high, performance follows. So does creativity. And business growth. 

Raising the standard starts within

Raising the standard as a captain is about being anchored in service, love, and values. From that place, everything else flows.  The challenge Stew leaves us with is simple but profound: reflect, align, and serve.

Start each day by asking: “What do I stand for?”

End each day with: “Did I live it?”

When you commit to that daily practice, raising the standard becomes not just possible, but inevitable.  

Connection to purpose, connection to team, and trust in leadership are three of the nine pillars that are measured and benchmarked as part of the Best Places to Work™ Employee Engagement Survey. If raising the standard also means having the impetus to understand where things are going well as well as where there is room for improvements, then the best place to start is by asking your team. The Survey is available to purchase and start before 30th May with completion by 19th June 2025.

If you’d like to know more about Stew, to see the workshops he runs, or to purchase his books, visit the Unstoppable Force website.