Making space for people
Something that immediately caught my eye during last week’s trip to southern Sweden:
There’s space.
Not just for cars (like here in Germany).
But for people.
Sidewalks are wide enough to walk side by side and pause without blocking anyone.
Bike lanes let one person stop without slowing the rest.
To me, it felt like the cities were planned with the people in mind, as if someone had asked “What do people need here?”
(Here in Germany, the guiding thought often seems to be where’s the space for buildings and cars.)
Now, what if we applied that thinking to leadership communication?
Instead of how to make the people fit in, how can we make space for them? So they not only can, but want to do their best work.
Some thoughts on this:
Do we allow space to pause?
So often, we overload our messages with urgency and instructions. But not every word has to move people forward. Sometimes, we need to stop and pause to understand better, find the connection, or simply regain some energy.
→ In your conversations, can someone take a moment to reflect?
Do we create space for different angles?
Companies love streamlined thinking and fear losing control. (Did I ever mention that I once lost a client because they were afraid their teams would start thinking too freely?) But not everyone thinks alike. And that’s the point. When you create space for different perspectives, working styles, and priorities, you don’t lose control, you gain depth.
→ In your meetings, can people show up with their unique perspective?
Is our message designed for people, not just performance?
It’s still a common pattern: This is a professional environment, just get over it and get stuff done. But what if the most professional environment was the one where people belong fully, as a human, not just a professional?
→ In your messages, can people (including you) speak from the heart?
Curious for your thoughts …
Keep lighting the path!