The Importance of White Space

If you were to ask any of my clients what is the leadership practice I’m super passionate about, and what adds most to a leader’s organisational value – I’m confident they would all immediately say “White Space”. I talk about it A LOT!

White Space is time quarantined for thinking instead of doing.  But what I want you to know is that doesn’t mean anything that’s not actively progressing projects or staring down action items is White Space.

It’s not time allocated to professional development, time dedicated to stay on top of industry trends, time spent networking, or investment in curating team relationships.  Listening to a podcast isn’t White Space, nor is writing a to-do-list, and the same goes for coffee with a colleague.  These are all important and valuable - but aren’t giving you White Space.  An investment in White Space might result in items added to a to-do list, but White Space itself is way less structured than that.

White Space is where you allow your thoughts to come and go in a much more relaxed fashion. Where you think and reflect on what you do now and how you do it, as well as what you could do more of and how that might happen.  It’s about jumping out of your everyday and into White Space. A place where you afford yourself the luxury of time without distraction, interruption or negativity. 

Many of the world’s most successful people understand the value of White Space.  Bill Gates is famous for taking two weeks off per year, spent in a secret waterfront cabin pondering the future of both his company, and technology at large. Similarly, Warren Buffet says “I insist on a lot of time being spent, almost every day, to just sit and think”. Mahatma Ghandi spent much time engaged in self-reflection and meditation to guide his actions and decisions. My favourite American poet, Mary Oliver, invested piles of time deep in thought and in her work actively encouraged others to slow down, observe the world and reflect on life’s deeper meanings.

Professionals pour megalitres of time and headspace into stuff that demands to be addressed.  It's human nature to want to DO stuff.  We satisfy a hunger to be of value by ticking boxes from early school days and spend our formative years being congratulated for annihilating to do lists and “getting stuff done”. Early careers are electrified by the rush of being busy and those who don’t look, sound, or smell busy are judged to be ineffective or just bloody lazy. 

We’ve forgotten how to give ourselves White Space.  My children are bright, but don’t embrace reading because the delicious pleasure of losing themselves in a book feels alien and frightening to them. Instead, they cast wonderful and worthy novels aside to return to the doom-scrolling delights of their phones. Why? So they never have to feel the perceived emptiness of not drowning in brightly coloured, mindless videos or memes.

Freek Vermeulen, Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the London Business School, cautions: “If you can’t find time to think it probably means you haven’t organized your firm, unit, or team very well, and you are busy putting out little fires all the time.  It also means that you are at risk of leading your company astray.”

So the bottom line here is that if leaders want to stand out from the pack, they need to make a habit of taking time out for reflection. 

Some thoughts that might help you get hungry for White Space are:

·      It offers opportunity for increased clarity of purpose

·      Encourages more considered and effective communication

·      Builds emotional intelligence

·      Creates fertile ground for strategy development

·      Encourages innovation

In other words, it’s well worth blocking time out for White Space. Shut off the phone, lock the door, find somewhere just for you, don’t check emails…do whatever you need to do to make sure you can think in peace.

Once you’re in your White Space, here are a few questions that may help you unlock some ideas. These ideas might surprise you, solve a curly problem, or create something amazing.

This list is not exhaustive, it’s simply a kick-off point if you can’t find an ignition key for the reflection.

1.     What’s happening that no longer feels “right”?

2.     What would someone whose advice you respected do in a similar situation?

3.     What needs to be included in this solution for me to be proud of the direction taken?

4.     Is what I/we’re doing in line with where we wanted to be?

5.     Am I clear why we do things this way?

6.     If we do this, what will it look like in 1,5,10 years from now?

7.     If this turns out to be a mistake, what can I learn from it?

8.     What needs to be different about this decision for me to be at peace with it?

So let’s challenge the relentless pace of our days and carve out some sacred time for thinking. In those quiet moments, seeds of creativity and innovation can take root, plus our successful outcomes might just inspire those around us to realise the transformative power of thoughtful reflection too. 

How to get the best from your contract workforce!

I’ve spent many years providing outsourced executive, facilitation and team effectiveness consulting assistance to companies looking to optimise outcomes, solve tricky problems and/or effectively manage capability peaks and troughs. I’ve always been and continue to feel incredibly proud of what I’ve achieved and how I’ve been able to build powerful connections within firms to ensure organisational goals got kicked. 

In return, on many occasions, I’ve been paid handsomely, made incredible friends and colleagues, gained new skills, increased depth of existing skills, further developed my networks, obtained deep satisfaction at a job well done, and catered to my desire for variety at work.  How? Because my clients understood the value of investing in making a contractor/consultant feel valued, respected, seen and part of the team.

But I must admit that on some assignments it’s been harder that others to achieve this stuff – and that’s because the customer didn’t see the importance of making me feel part of the team.

These days, many organisations have seen the prodigious value (if I do say so myself) in bringing in specialist capabilities and additional capacity on an “as required” basis rather than deal with the cost and administration of FTEs. While contractors might not be full-time employees, there are huge engagement and motivation benefits to employers if the right work eco-system is created.

I thought it might be helpful to share some of the approaches my clients have used to create an inclusive environment for everyone.  Not all of these might be possible, or practical, but where you can, I recommend you extend these courtesies to your contract colleagues.

Clear Communication: Start by clearly communicating your expectations and goals for the project. Take the time to offer as much clarity as possible to your contractors and don’t assume they’ll know stuff about your world or have complete understanding of what is expected of them. Offer them a direct contact within the full-time team that can help them navigate internal roadblocks or politics. Regularly update them on project progress and any changes in priorities.

Inclusion: Invite contractors to relevant team meetings, both in person and virtually if necessary. Acknowledge their need for psychological safety by treating them with the same respect and consideration for their input and ideas as you would full-time team members. Sometimes that will result in additional fees, but the discretionary effort that comes from inclusion and the clarity that comes from hearing the full story will pay this back in spades.

Onboarding: Provide contractors with a comprehensive onboarding process, just like you would for employees. This includes introducing them to the team, explaining the company culture, ensuring they have the necessary resources to do their job effectively and outlining where they can turn if they encounter obstacles.

Access to Information: Ensure that contractors have access to the information, tools, and resources they need to perform their tasks. This might include providing access to company intranets, project management software, and any relevant training materials.  If you do decide to exclude contractors from certain data access, make sure it’s for a good reason e.g., privacy, conflict of interest, safety etc not just because the contractor isn’t “one of us”.

Feedback and Recognition: Regularly provide feedback on their performance, both constructive criticism and positive reinforcement. Recognise and appreciate their contributions publicly within the team or organisation. Just because they don’t have the same auto signature as the rest of the team, doesn’t mean they don’t flourish when recognised. If you want a flower to grow, you need to nourish it with positivity.

Team Building Activities: Include contractors in team-building activities and events. This could be anything from virtual team lunches to physical team-building exercises, depending on the nature of the work and the contractor's location. Not always possible, particularly when the contractor’s interaction is virtual, but try and find a way to, at least occasionally, include the contractor in the lighter side of work.

Professional Development: Offer opportunities for professional development and skill enhancement. Contractors are more likely to invest in their work if they see it as a growth opportunity – plus – the more they know – the better job they can do for you.

Fair Compensation: Ensure that contractors are paid fairly and promptly for their work. Fair compensation shows respect for their contributions and helps maintain a positive relationship.

Regular Check-Ins: Schedule regular check-in meetings with contractors to discuss progress, address concerns, and maintain open lines of communication. These meetings can help build trust and rapport.

Incorporate Their Feedback: Contractors often have unique insights and perspectives. Actively seek their feedback on processes and procedures and be open to incorporating their suggestions when appropriate.  These humans can bring best practice insights from other organisations that can enhance the project/work environment/team effectiveness etc.

Engage Them in Decision-Making: Involve contractors in relevant decision-making processes, especially those that directly affect their work. This gives them a sense of ownership and importance within the team and encourages them to “go the extra mile”.

Flexible Work Arrangements: If possible, offer flexible work arrangements that suit their needs and preferences. This can enhance their job satisfaction, commitment to the project and extend their life span at the organisation so you can avoid starting all over again with another resource.  Many incredibly highly skilled people have gravitated toward contract work because of the flexibility that allows them to meet out of work commitments.  If you support these requirements, you can benefit from a resource that really delivers.

Contract Extensions: If a contractor consistently delivers high-quality work and fits well with the team, consider extending their contract or offering them opportunities for longer-term employment if that aligns with their career goals.

Remember that contractors are individuals with their own motivations and goals. Understanding their unique needs and aspirations can help you tailor your approach to make them feel like valued members of the team. Building a positive and inclusive work environment for contractors benefits both the organisation and the individuals involved.

Here’s to great contract/consulting/temp relationships that get results and if you are looking for the right person, get in touch with Molto Bene today!

Investing in an Executive Coach for your Leaders? How to Get the Most from your Investment.

So you’ve made the decision to offer your leaders Executive Coaching to help them reach their potential as Leaders. Congratulations! It’s a great idea. I wanted to touch base to share some of the ways employers (aka coaching sponsors) can maximise the benefits of the coaching experience for both the organisation and the coachee.

Here’s a few connection techniques the Molto Bene team have used to make sure we deliver the most valuable Executive coaching outcomes for our clients across the resources, healthcare, mining, education, finance and utilities sectors.

Provide access: Offering the coach greater access to the organisation allows them to understand its dynamics, challenges, and leadership models. This understanding enhances the coach's ability to provide effective feedback and support the executive's development. It also helps in gaining insights into the client's interactions with different groups and individuals within the organisation.

Reinforce credibility: As a sponsor, it's important to communicate your trust and confidence in the coach. By actively endorsing the coach and highlighting their skills and integrity, you contribute to building a strong partnership between the coach and the organisation.

Set clear expectations: Clearly defining the scope of work and expectations for the coaching engagement is essential. Avoid expanding the coach's role without proper communication, as it can lead to confusion and compromised trust. Carefully communicate any changes to stakeholders to ensure transparency and avoid conflicts of interest.

Prevent stakeholder meddling: Some stakeholders may attempt to influence the coaching process to serve their own agendas. Sponsors can establish clear boundaries and communicate the importance of not interfering or manipulating the coach's evaluations. This helps maintain the integrity and objectivity of the coaching relationship.

Avoid power struggles: Be mindful of the power dynamics that may arise among different internal stakeholders. Coaches should be cautious not to flaunt their connections or special status. Sponsors can support this by not over-promoting the coach in a way that creates a threat perception. Emphasise that the coach is there to support development rather than exercise power.

Overall, by following these guidelines, organisations can lay a solid foundation for executive coaching engagements, leading to more successful outcomes. Reach out to the Molto Bene team if you would like to learn more about how we can help set your leaders up for success through Executive Coaching.