They're Drowning While We Watch: How We Must Act Now To Help Tomorrow's Men
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Hi, I’m Jason. If you are a midlife man in a leadership role, I’ve created The Prime Movement for you. It’s a community for those of us who believe in the power of progress - in leadership and in life. Dare to know. Dare to grow.
What’s coming up:
Prime Performance: This Week’s Best News, Views & Life-Hacks
The Prime Perspective: They're Drowning While We Watch: How We Must Act Now To Help Tomorrow's Men
Lessons from the Trenches: The Dangers of the ‘Megaphone Effect’... and how to fix it
Be a Prime Mover: 1 Quote to Spark Change
Prime Performance: this week’s news, views and life hacks
👀 WATCH 3 Minutes on How to Cope With Regret
A close friend in Dubai had the opportunity to interview renowned author Daniel Pink recently and shared this powerful clip containing his advice on how to cope with regret. It's something that all of you need to hear, so make the time for this - I promise you won’t regret it!
👂 LISTEN 1 Powerful Minute of Wisdom from a Sports Legend
Former England rugby star Jonny Wilkinson is rightly a role model for many midlife men, and this beautiful speech proves why. I’ve long held the belief that the quality he talks about is a super-power - listen to his words and you’ll understand why.
📄 READ The Secret Science of Success
Last week in London I heard Cass Sunstein (co-author of ‘Nudge’ and former Obama advisor) reveal that his latest research shows that 2 key factors that make our chances of success “skyrocket”. The second one was the one that really gave me pause for reflection - so the next morning I wrote a Linkedin post on it. It contains one question I think every midlife man needs to ask himself.
The Prime Perspective: Midlife Meditations on Leadership and Growth
They're Drowning While We Watch: How We Must Act Now To Help Tomorrow's Men
The Prime Movement was founded on a simple truth: reaching your prime isn't just about personal optimization. While that's important, it's about the network effect - when we're at our best, we create positive ripples that impact everyone around us - our teams, our partners, our children. And crucially, the next generation of men, as they need positive role models more than ever.
This was front of mind for me when I sat down to write this latest Prime Perspective, as it was triggered by a newspaper article that informed me Andrew Tate, the toxic influencer, is viewed positively by almost half of young men. That for me was a call to action… for all of us.
Consider the implications
We're witnessing a generation of young men increasingly isolated, disconnected, and vulnerable to toxic voices that rush to fill the void. Into this space have stepped influencers like Tate, amassing millions of views while promoting destructive attitudes about success, relationships, and masculinity.
I’m a big Scott Galloway fan, and his analysis of the crisis facing young men presents a stark reality. He puts it bluntly: "The most dangerous person in the world is a young man who's never been in a loving relationship or held a job." The data supporting this is sobering - he notes that 28% of men under 30 report having no intimate relationships at all, a figure that's doubled since 2008.
This is where we as men must recognize our broader responsibility. True leadership isn't just about being at our best - it's about leveraging that strength to lift others up. Working on ourselves shouldn't be a purely self-centered pursuit. The goal is to become our best selves not just for our own benefit, but because it positions us to have the maximum positive impact on those around us.
When you operate from a place of integrated strength - physical, mental, cognitive and emotional - you become better equipped to guide others. Research shows this creates a virtuous cycle: mentorship relationships reduce stress levels for both parties, enhance leadership capabilities through knowledge exchange, and improve overall wellbeing through meaningful social connection.
Moving From Insight to Action
Here are 3 ways I believe we can make a difference today:
Professional Mentorship
Let's create space for organic career conversations. Share both victories and setbacks. Young professionals need to hear real stories about grit, resilience and the reality that success is a marathon, not a social media highlight reel..Community Leadership
Our experience is needed in local networks and organizations - whether that's youth clubs, sports teams or industry groups. These spaces create natural opportunities for guiding young men toward positive paths.Have a Conversation
Sounds so simple, right? But far too many midlife men aren’t making the effort to reach out and understand the perspectives of their younger counterparts. I can honestly say that some of my most valuable insights have come from reverse mentoring relationships - when you approach guidance with humility,you can grow together.
The Path Forward
Being in our prime isn't just about personal achievement - it's about impact. Our position gives us a platform. Our experience gives you wisdom. Our stability gives us strength. These aren't just personal assets - they're resources to be shared.
Yes, we need to be operating from a place of strength ourselves before we can effectively guide others. But that's just the starting point. The true measure of leadership is the positive impact we have on others.
Ready to expand our definition of success and create lasting impact? Let's talk about how The Prime Movement Program can help us become the leaders these times demand.
Dare to know. Dare to grow.
Lessons from the Trenches: The Unintended Consequences of Authority
Every week, I address real challenges faced by leaders like you. These insights come from both TPM readers and anonymized coaching experiences. Because when one of us faces a challenge, we can all learn from it.
CHALLENGE:
I'm a founder and I pride myself on creating an open environment where people can challenge my ideas and contribute to our growth, so I constantly tell the team I want their input and that no idea is a bad idea. But people seem hesitant to speak up in meetings, and when they do, they look to me for validation after every comment. Despite my best intentions, it feels like we're not getting the robust dialogue I'm aiming for - how do I get my team to be more proactive as I genuinely don’t want this all to be about me?
MY TAKE:
Here's a reality many founders and senior leaders miss: no matter how many times you say "my door is always open" or "challenge my thinking," your words carry the weight of authority. Every casual suggestion, every thinking-out-loud moment, every "what if" scenario you float - they're possibly all received as directives due to the power dynamics of your roles.
Think of it like this: as a founder, you essentially hold a megaphone when compared to others in the business. So what feels like a quiet musing to you booms like a command to others. Your offhand comment about "maybe we should consider..." becomes an urgent priority for your team. Your innocent questioning of an approach can potentially be interpreted as a complete rejection of the strategy.
MY GUIDANCE:
Consciously create space for others to speak first rather than invite contributions simply as a reaction to what you’re saying.
Watch your "thinking out loud" - as what feels like brainstorming to you can send the team scrambling afterwards… and you may not even be aware of it.
Be absolutely explicit about which conversations are explorations vs. decisions, so your team understand the parameters rather than having to second-guess you.
Consider having someone else within the team facilitate important discussions where you want genuine debate.. And ask yourself if your presence is contributing to the debate.. Or constraining it.
Acknowledge and visibly value dissenting voices when they do speak up - not just through verbal acknowledgments, but also through subsequent implementations.
The key is recognizing that true psychological safety isn't built through declarations - it's demonstrated through consistent actions that show people they truly can challenge your thinking without consequence.
You need to reach a place where the team have hard evidence that their voices are heard, valued and can effect meaningful change within the business.
If you're facing similar leadership challenges, message me at jason@theprimemovement.com.
Be A Prime Mover: 1 Quote to Spark Change
“No man can live happily who regards himself alone; who turns everything to his own advantage. You must live for others if you wish to live for yourself.”
— Seneca
MY TAKE:
Two thousand years on, these words cut through the modern obsession with self-optimization. While I’m a big believer in personal development it’s important for me to state that true fulfillment isn't found in endless self-focus.
It comes from using our strength, wisdom and experience to lift others up. The irony? In reaching out to support others, we often find our own sense of purpose deepened and enriched.
I remember hearing Olver Burkeman speak earlier this year about the importance of just getting started - favouring progress over procrastination. He gave the example of giving to charity and said far too many people put off doing something simple as they think they’re going to do something far more meaningful… but of course, that can ends up getting kicked down the road.
So, your challenge this week, especially as we head into a period which is all about giving:
What does that first small step look like?
When are you committing to taking it?
If you enjoyed this, please consider sharing this with a friend. We are stronger together.
Your thoughts are the fuel that keeps us moving forward, so message me at jason@theprimemovement.com.
