Leading as a Positive Disruptor - Lessons from Lieutenant Colonel Blair ‘Paddy’ Mayne
- Be More Shark
- Feb 7
- 14 min read
Lieutenant Colonel Blair ‘Paddy’ Mayne is often hailed as one of Britain’s most exceptional military figures, yet his legacy extends far beyond his battlefield achievements.
One of the founding members of the Special Air Service (SAS), Mayne helped shape not only the unit’s tactics but also its unique culture of innovation and relentless pursuit of excellence. Much of the SAS’s early success can be traced to his unorthodox leadership style, one that embraced disruptive thinking, challenged convention, and brought out the best in those under his command.
Mayne’s leadership approach can be seen as a precursor to what we now call the ‘positive disruptor’, a leader unafraid to break the rules when necessary, set new standards, and welcome radical ideas in pursuit of a higher goal.
In many ways, his leadership style also resonates with Daniel Goleman’s six leadership styles - Commanding, Visionary, Affiliative, Democratic, Pacesetting, and Coaching. By exploring how Mayne exemplified (or at times departed from) these styles, we gain a nuanced understanding of how he galvanised his team into a force that seemed capable of achieving the impossible.
Mayne’s relationship with David Stirling, founder of the SAS, played a crucial role in shaping the culture of innovation and competitive spirit that defined the unit. The synergy and tension between these two pivotal figures not only advanced their shared mission but also raised the bar for what a small team of highly-trained soldiers could accomplish.
This article delves into the intricate details of Mayne’s leadership philosophy, mapping his methods to Goleman’s framework and highlighting the effect of his partnership with Stirling. By doing so, we find lessons that are relevant for modern leaders in any field—whether they helm military units, corporations, or start-ups.
1. Paddy Mayne - A Brief Background
Blair ‘Paddy’ Mayne was born in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland, in 1915. From an early age, he displayed attributes that foreshadowed his future military success - a fierce competitive streak, a disregard for conventional limitations, and an unshakeable sense of loyalty to his peers. A sportsman of considerable talent, Mayne was a formidable rugby union player, earning caps for Ireland and the British Lions.
When the Second World War erupted, Mayne joined the British Army, initially serving in the Royal Artillery before volunteering for commando training. His reputation for physical prowess, fearlessness, and disregard for authority when he deemed it incompetently wielded began to solidify.
It was his transfer to the nascent SAS in 1941 that truly allowed him to flourish as both a soldier and a leader. Under David Stirling’s vision, the SAS was founded as a small, mobile force capable of undertaking clandestine and operations behind enemy lines with surgical precision- an approach that deviated significantly from the massed infantry tactics of the time, and was was deemed as an unpalatable approach to combat by many.
Stirling recognised in Mayne a rare blend of tactical innovation and raw courage, appointing him as one of the earliest members of the fledgling unit. Together, they would develop and refine techniques that remain a core part of special operations forces today. Mayne’s capacity to inspire trust, encourage autonomy, and reward creative thinking became the bedrock of the SAS culture.
2. The Positive Disruptor - Embracing New Thinking
A ‘positive disruptor’ is a leader who challenges the status quo in a way that propels an organisation forward. Such a leader is not satisfied with incremental improvements; instead, they seek exponential leaps in performance and outcomes. Paddy Mayne epitomised this mindset within the harsh context of wartime. In an era dominated by large-scale, set-piece battles, he championed guerrilla-style tactics, swift hit-and-run raids, and deep penetration behind enemy lines.
Challenging Traditional Hierarchies - Mayne was known for his disdain for bureaucratic red tape. He cared little for deference to seniority unless he saw genuine competence. By ignoring rank when it inhibited mission success, he empowered his men to take initiative. This refusal to be constrained by rigid hierarchies was a hallmark of positive disruption: he effectively flattened the chain of command so that each soldier’s ideas, if proven valid, could be utilised.
Rewarding Calculated Risk-Taking - Under Mayne’s leadership, the SAS became synonymous with daring operations. Instead of punishing mistakes harshly, he analysed them, extracted lessons, and encouraged his men to try again. This cycle of rapid experimentation and learning was essential in refining the SAS’s tactics and instilling a belief that no target was truly out of reach.
Challenging Conventional Tactics - At a time when most of the British Army was focused on large advances or defensive positions, Mayne’s small teams would infiltrate airfields, sabotage aircraft, and cause chaos far behind enemy lines. This approach was disruptive because it diverted enemy resources, spread confusion, and leveraged minimal manpower for maximum strategic effect. These methods have since become standard operating procedure for special operations forces worldwide, but at the time they were both novel and, to many, uncomfortably radical.
Through these initiatives, Mayne shaped a culture where disruption was not merely tolerated, it was actively encouraged, provided it served the mission. In modern organisational parlance, we might see parallels in tech start-ups that upend industries through radical innovation. Mayne’s success illustrates that embracing new thinking, especially in high-pressure environments, requires equal parts vision, courage, and a willingness to risk failure for the sake of game-changing results.
3. Goleman’s Six Leadership Styles &
Paddy Mayne's Leadership
Daniel Goleman, renowned for his work on emotional intelligence, identified six distinct leadership styles: Commanding, Visionary, Affiliative, Democratic, Pacesetting, and Coaching.
Each style has its strengths and potential downsides, and the most effective leaders are those who can flexibly switch between them depending on the situation. While it would be simplistic to pigeonhole Mayne into any one style, examining his leadership through this framework can illuminate the complexity and dynamism of his approach.
Commanding Style
“Do what I tell you.” A style often characterised by that phrase. The commanding leader issues directives and expects compliance, frequently used in crisis situations where immediate action is required.
Mayne’s Context: On the battlefield, Mayne certainly had moments where he was commanding. When on a high-stakes raid, there was little time for debate. His men needed clear, decisive orders. He used this style particularly when surprise was critical, or when an operation was so dangerous that a unified, immediate response was essential.
Strengths and Weaknesses: The commanding style can create swift action, but risks stifling morale if used continuously. Mayne mitigated this risk by not using a top-down approach off the battlefield, allowing more collaborative elements in planning and training phases.
Visionary Style
“Come with me.” The visionary leader provides a powerful end goal and leaves room for autonomy in how to achieve it.
Mayne’s Context: Although David Stirling was the founder of the SAS, Mayne contributed significantly to shaping its overarching strategy and culture. He had a clear vision of a nimble, highly skilled unit that would punch above its weight through ingenuity and fearlessness.
Strengths and Weaknesses: Visionary leadership fosters unity and purpose, which Mayne clearly achieved. However, there was always a danger of setting sights too high or taking on impossible missions. Mayne’s personal courage often blurred the line between bold vision and reckless ambition. Yet his track record shows he mostly succeeded in balancing ambition with pragmatic planning.
Affiliative Style
“People come first.” This style focuses on creating harmony, building emotional bonds, and putting the well-being of team members at the forefront.
Mayne’s Context: While Mayne’s fierce exterior might suggest little emphasis on harmony, he was deeply loyal to his men. He is reported to have been concerned for their welfare, knowing that a cohesive, trusting team could operate more effectively behind enemy lines. Stories abound of him placing himself at great personal risk to support or rescue a fellow soldier.
Strengths and Weaknesses: The affiliative style fosters loyalty and boosts morale, both of which Mayne accomplished in spades. However, over-reliance on this style can lead to avoidance of conflict or insufficient performance pressure. Mayne overcame this potential pitfall through his high standards and demanding nature.
Democratic Style
“What do you think?” The democratic leader values collective input, seeks consensus, and encourages participation.
Mayne’s Context: In planning stages, Mayne was known to solicit ideas from his men and credit them openly. He recognised that every soldier had unique insights—especially in situations where conventional intelligence was lacking. This inclusive planning process meant that team members had a sense of ownership over the mission.
Strengths and Weaknesses: Democratic leadership increases buy-in and fosters creativity, both crucial for the SAS’s unconventional missions. However, in the heat of battle, consensus-building can slow decision-making. Mayne understood when to pivot to a more commanding style.
Pacesetting Style
“Do as I do, now.” The pacesetter leads by example, setting extremely high performance standards and expecting others to follow suit.
Mayne’s Context: Mayne exemplified the pacesetting style. He was frequently the first to volunteer for the most dangerous aspects of a mission, leading from the front and demonstrating that no risk he asked of his men was beyond what he would undertake himself. His legendary physical and mental toughness set the bar for the entire unit.
Strengths and Weaknesses: Pacesetting can drive rapid results and inspire exceptional performance. However, it risks burnout or discouragement if team members cannot keep up. Mayne’s men, carefully selected and trained, usually rose to the challenge. But there was an implicit understanding that you had to maintain his high standards or you wouldn’t remain part of the SAS for long.
Coaching Style
“Try this.” Coaching focuses on the long-term professional and personal development of team members.
Mayne’s Context: The wartime environment did not always lend itself to the patient, developmental approach typical of coaching, yet Mayne spent a great deal of time honing his men’s skills. He was known for rigorous training regimens and detailed debriefings after missions. He corrected mistakes constructively and encouraged soldiers to expand their skill sets, be it marksmanship, navigation, or sabotage techniques.
Strengths and Weaknesses: The coaching style fosters continual growth, which is essential for an elite unit dependent on adaptability. However, coaching can be time-intensive and less applicable during the immediate demands of combat. Mayne struck a balance by coaching extensively in training while reverting to more direct styles in live operations.
When viewed through Goleman’s framework, Mayne’s leadership style emerges as multifaceted, capable of toggling between commanding precision, visionary ambition, and a pacesetting commitment to excellence. His unique form of positive disruption was deeply rooted in his ability to adopt elements from each style depending on what the situation demanded, ensuring that the SAS remained flexible, cohesive, and relentlessly effective.
4. Relationship with David Stirling
No discussion of Paddy Mayne’s leadership would be complete without addressing his relationship with David Stirling, the visionary founder of the SAS. While Stirling is often credited with conceiving the idea of a small, highly skilled raiding force, Mayne provided much of the operational backbone and the unyielding morale that turned that idea into reality. Their relationship was one of mutual respect, underpinned by distinct but complementary leadership traits.
Shared Vision, Different Approaches
Stirling’s greatest strength lay in formulating the overarching strategy, navigating bureaucracy, and securing the necessary authorisations for the SAS to function independently. Mayne, meanwhile, excelled at mission execution, tactical innovation, and direct leadership in the field. Together, they ensured that the SAS had both the strategic endorsement needed to operate and the battlefield prowess to succeed.
Competitive Spirit and Innovation
The healthy competition between Stirling and Mayne has been noted by those who served alongside them. Both men sought excellence, pushing themselves and their subordinates to surpass existing standards. This competitive edge spurred rapid innovation in tactics and equipment. For instance, the emphasis on small teams using heavily-armed jeeps or on surprise attacks on enemy airfields were driven by a spirit of “What more can we do, and how can we do it better?”
Balancing Boldness and Restraint
Stirling’s more diplomatic style sometimes acted as a counterbalance to Mayne’s fiery disposition. When Mayne’s ardour verged on recklessness, Stirling could intervene, ensuring that missions remained aligned with strategic goals. Conversely, when Stirling’s caution risked diluting opportunities, Mayne’s boldness served as a catalyst for taking decisive action.
Developing the SAS Ethos
Their combined efforts resulted in an ethos that remains at the core of the SAS: Who Dares Wins. This motto encapsulates the blend of calculated risk-taking, adaptability, and confidence that defined their operations. Stirling and Mayne lived and breathed this ethos, demonstrating it through their willingness to embark on missions most would deem impossible. Their relationship served as a model for the entire unit, showcasing that respect, shared purpose, and a bit of competitive flair can drive extraordinary feats.
In a modern organisational context, the Stirling–Mayne dynamic shows how contrasting leadership styles can be harmonised towards a common purpose. Stirling’s strategic vision combined with Mayne’s operational vigour, much like a CEO–COO partnership in a high-growth start-up. The takeaway is clear - innovation often flourishes when different leaders, with complementary strengths, collaborate rather than compete destructively.
5. Cultivating a Culture of Innovation and High Performance
The SAS quickly earned a fearsome reputation during the North African campaign, conducting deep-penetration raids on German and Italian airfields, blowing up aircraft, and then disappearing into the desert night. Such success did not happen by chance; it was fostered by a culture that Mayne and Stirling meticulously developed, one that prized innovation, high performance, and teamwork above all else.
Selective Recruitment and Intense Training
The SAS adopted (and still maintain) rigorous selection processes that tested not only physical endurance but also mental agility and resilience. Mayne’s direct involvement in these tests was instrumental; he looked for individuals who could think on their feet under extreme pressure. Those who made the cut were then subjected to gruelling training that mirrored real mission conditions as closely as possible.
Autonomy and Ownership
Each soldier was given a degree of autonomy that was rare in traditional units. Small teams were empowered to make tactical decisions on the ground, reflecting Mayne’s democratic and pacesetting inclinations. This autonomy imbued each operator with a sense of ownership, knowing that their contributions, ideas, and instincts were vital to mission success.
Rewarding Creativity
The unpredictable nature of raids behind enemy lines demanded constant adaptation. Instead of punishing creative approaches that deviated from standard procedure, the SAS rewarded innovative thinking when it proved effective. The relative informality between ranks under Mayne’s watch encouraged even junior soldiers to voice new ideas and insights.
Relentless After-Action Reviews
Mayne was meticulous about analysing missions, both successes and failures. This form of early ‘coaching’ leadership ensured that each operation yielded valuable lessons. It also is a true form of the 'Just & Learning' culture that many businesses strive to achieve. The emphasis was on continuous improvement, turning every experience into an opportunity for collective learning.
The Spirit of ‘Who Dares Wins’
Perhaps the most defining feature of SAS culture was the collective embrace of risk-taking. Under Mayne, soldiers were expected to push beyond conventional limits. This was not recklessness for its own sake, but a calculated gamble that relied on superb training, deep trust, and relentless preparation.
The end result was a high-performance culture that drastically magnified the SAS’s impact relative to its size. In modern leadership theory, this aligns with the idea of developing ‘learning organisations’ and ‘high-trust teams,’ where people are encouraged to experiment, reflect, and adapt.
6. Lessons for Modern Leaders
Although shaped by the crucible of the Second World War, many of the leadership lessons from Mayne’s era remain highly pertinent. Whether leading in a corporate, creative, or public sector environment, the principles of disruptive thinking, flexible leadership styles, and collaborative innovation continue to separate extraordinary teams from average ones.
Embrace Positive Disruption
As the pace of change accelerates in the modern world, leaders need to be comfortable with breaking traditional norms and testing new ideas. This may involve flattening hierarchies, encouraging risk-taking, and being prepared to pivot quickly if initial plans fail.
Adapt Leadership Style to the Situation
Goleman’s six styles remind us that no single approach is universally superior. Leaders must remain situationally aware, ready to shift from a commanding style in emergencies to a more democratic or coaching style during planning and development phases.
Value Complementary Skill Sets
The Stirling–Mayne dynamic partnership serves as an enduring example of how two differing styles can create a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Leaders should recognise and harness the strengths of colleagues with contrasting skill sets, rather than viewing them as rivals.
Cultivate a Culture of Learning and Innovation
Learning from failures, continuously refining tactics, and keeping morale high all contribute to building a resilient and creative workforce. Encouraging open dialogue and crediting team members for their inputs ensures that innovation can come from any level of the organisation.
Lead by Example
Mayne’s pacesetting style, personified by his willingness to undertake the hardest tasks, reminds us that authenticity and credibility stem from ‘walking the talk.’ In any high-performance environment, leaders who demand excellence must be seen striving for it themselves.
Prioritise Trust and Cohesion
The stressful, high-stakes nature of SAS missions demanded complete trust between team members. In modern organisations, building trust remains crucial. People need to feel safe sharing ideas, questioning the status quo, and occasionally failing in pursuit of greater success.
Balancing Boldness with Responsibility
One of the persistent criticisms of Mayne is that his boldness occasionally bordered on recklessness. For every successful raid, there was the possibility that a poorly timed or overly ambitious mission could result in heavy losses. Balancing bold initiative with responsible leadership is a key challenge for any leader in high-risk environments.
Risk Assessment: Effective risk-taking involves rigorous planning. Although Mayne’s approach may have seemed spontaneous to outsiders, it was usually underpinned by careful consideration of enemy dispositions, logistical realities, and the unique skills of his men.
Moral Responsibility: Leaders must also carry the burden of moral responsibility for those under their command. Mayne’s deep sense of loyalty ensured that, although he pushed his men to their limits, he did not do so lightly.
Crisis Management: When missions did go awry, Mayne was quick to adapt. His commanding style kicked in, issuing clear directives to extract his men from dangerous situations. By constantly preparing for contingency scenarios, he mitigated the fallout from unexpected obstacles.
In a contemporary context, leaders in sectors such as finance or technology face similar dilemmas when taking big risks on new markets or disruptive technologies. The lesson from Mayne’s leadership is clear - boldness must be balanced with a robust framework for risk management and a commitment to the well-being of your team.
8. Mayne's Legacy
By the end of the war, Paddy Mayne had become one of the most highly decorated soldiers in the British Army, awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) on four separate occasions. Yet his impact on leadership, culture, and innovation has proved even more significant than his personal achievements. The SAS not only became a template for other special operations units, but it also represented a breakthrough in how small teams could wield strategic influence disproportionate to their size.
In the decades since, countless leaders, from the boardroom to the battlefield, have studied the SAS model. They have sought to replicate its esprit de corps, its emphasis on individual autonomy, and its willingness to embrace disruption as a means of overcoming larger, better-resourced adversaries.
The SAS motto, Who Dares Wins, remains a concise articulation of the principle that well-calculated daring, underpinned by thorough preparation and exceptional leadership, can yield extraordinary results.
Mayne’s legacy continues to shape conceptions of how leaders can simultaneously be authoritative yet approachable, demanding yet supportive, and unyielding in the face of adversity while remaining open to new ideas. These are the hallmarks of a leader capable of forging truly high-performing teams.
9. Wash-Up
Lieutenant Colonel Blair ‘Paddy’ Mayne stands as an enduring example of a leader who refused to be constrained by conventional thinking. He embraced disruption not merely for the sake of novelty, but to unleash unprecedented levels of creativity and initiative within his teams.
Drawing on elements that align with Goleman’s six leadership styles - commanding decisiveness in high-stakes moments, visionary clarity of purpose, an affiliative concern for morale and team cohesion, democratic openness to new ideas, pacesetting dedication through personal example, and a coaching mindset in training - he guided the SAS to feats that reshaped modern special operations doctrine.
His dynamic with David Stirling exemplifies how two strong, sometimes contrasting personalities can work together to pioneer something far greater than either could achieve alone. Their shared competitive spirit ignited a relentless drive for improvement, forging a force that consistently outmanoeuvred enemy defences through audacity and skill.
For today’s leaders, Mayne’s story resonates across industries, reminding us that a culture of innovation, trust, and selfless commitment can propel even small teams to outsized accomplishments. His legacy as a positive disruptor underlines that challenging the status quo can be both a moral and a practical necessity when facing daunting odds. By integrating lessons from Goleman’s leadership styles, modern leaders can cultivate the adaptability, resilience, and creativity that defined the SAS under Mayne’s stewardship.
Ultimately, whether you are leading a start-up, directing a non-profit, or managing a large corporation, Mayne’s core leadership principles remain relevant - be bold, push boundaries, trust your team, prepare meticulously, and never let conventional wisdom stifle a potentially ground-breaking idea.
In a world where change is the only constant, the spirit of Who Dares Wins is as timely now as it was in the deserts of North Africa, and Mayne’s remarkable life continues to serve as both inspiration and instruction for those daring enough to lead.
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