Walking Alongside Senior Leaders
Stephen L Baxter works alongside CEOs, board chairs, and senior leaders who understand that wisdom emerges through partnership, not instruction.
With over four decades of leadership experience, primarily in the not-for-profit sector, Stephen brings a rare blend of strategic insight, calm presence, and relational depth. His approach isn’t traditional coaching or consulting. It’s a confidential thought partnership designed for those who carry the weight of complex responsibility and understand that today’s challenges rarely come with clear answers.
Senior leaders are often surrounded by expertise, yet isolated in decision-making. The higher the altitude, the fewer peers who understand the terrain. Stephen offers something distinct: a trusted space where leaders can surface their own wisdom through dialogue, not direction, where the goal isn’t to solve complexity, but to navigate it with clarity and courage
The Alongside Approach
Stephen’s work is anchored in four guiding principles:
Peer Partnership: Grounded in mutual experience with someone who understands the stakes
Confidential Exploration: Walking conversations that break through the solitude of senior leadership
Emergent Understanding: Insights that arise through conversation, not prescription
Compass-Based Navigation: Tools for orientation when no playbook exists
This is leadership mentoring designed not to give answers, but to deepen awareness and unlock new perspectives. Stephen supports leaders to act with confidence despite ambiguity, to lead with integrity in the face of pressure, and to align decisions with their deepest sense of purpose.
“You hold the wisdom. Alongside creates the space for it to surface.”
A Life of Leadership and Influence
Based primarily in Hobart, Tasmania, Stephen has long been a convenor of influence across sectors. Each year, he hosts a gathering of over 500 leaders from government, business, and community—an event attended by the Premier, Governor, and Opposition Leader. He is deeply embedded in Tasmania’s leadership fabric, yet his work reaches far beyond.
From boardrooms to conference stages, Stephen is regularly invited to facilitate conversations, deliver keynote talks, and guide leadership teams across Australia and beyond. His presence is marked by clarity, empathy, and a capacity to bring diverse voices to shared purpose.
Whether mentoring seasoned executives or, at the request of senior leaders, engaging emerging talent within organisations, Stephen brings the same ethos: wise partnership, quiet strength, and an unwavering belief that leadership is both an inner and outer journey.
Get in touch
Let’s begin a different kind of conversation.
Whether something Stephen shared resonated with you or simply sparked curiosity, we’d welcome the opportunity to continue the conversation alongside you.