At some point in our lives, I would expect all of us have been exposed to the story of Peter Pan, either through books, stage plays, or films like the 1991 movie Hook starring Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman and Julia Roberts. As you’ll remember, Peter Pan is a young boy who refuses to abandon the ways of a child and take on the responsibilities of adulthood.
While we might all long for the days of childhood from time to time, being stuck in childish ways doesn’t play out well in the world of commerce. Although not as obvious as a young boy dancing around in green tights, business leaders engaged in Peter Pan behavior do exist. These leaders don’t want to grow up, so they stop learning and their businesses stop growing.