A strong team doesn’t need people who think alike. It needs people who are united by common values and standards and have an understanding of what ‘good’ looks like. This allows individuals to bring different expertise and perspectives to a shared purpose.
Since founding SQEP in 2014, Paul Mayo has grown the business from a specialist consultancy into an organisation working across air, land, sea, space, nuclear and cyber domains. As the business expands, maintaining a strong culture becomes increasingly important, particularly when colleagues work across different locations, disciplines and client engagements. SQEP’s values provide a common foundation, connecting people through a shared understanding of what the organisation stands for.
Paul Mayo, Founder and Managing Director at SQEP Ltd, explains:
“When building a consultancy, it is tempting to focus on the expertise needed to deliver the work in front of you. But people need clear expectations about behaviour, particularly when working in highly regulated, safety-critical environments. In defence and aerospace, people need the professional integrity and sound judgement to balance technical requirements, safety, regulatory obligations and operational demands. That means understanding how those considerations relate to one another, recognising where compromise is possible and knowing where it is not.”
“As a leader, I believe people need the confidence to exercise that judgement and the freedom to speak up when something doesn’t look right. They must be willing to look beyond their own specialism, seek other perspectives and recognise how their decisions affect the wider programme. This gives clients greater visibility of the reasoning behind decisions.”
“As SQEP continues to grow, we make an effort to bring our largely remote workforce together regularly to connect, share experiences, celebrate successes and raise funds for causes that matter to them. These opportunities give colleagues time together beyond their immediate work and help maintain connections across the wider business.”
A strong culture depends on how people put shared standards into practice, work together and take responsibility for the quality of their work.
:::
Find out more about our commitment to excellence and integrity.
Follow SQEP on Linkedin for the latest news, company updates and events.