There have been press articles recently claiming that we, as a profession, have virtually “stopped treating our people as grown ups” and even alleging we “measure everything that moves a millimetre in a bid to justify our existence”. Reports such as this do nothing for the reputation of the profession, nor do they fill me with confidence that we have the ability to transform into a function that is recognised as providing the lifeblood of the organisation. But before you groan and start to think that this is another one of those navel-gazing reflections of our self worth – it’s not.