Leaders continuously make space for new ideas to thrive. ~Dr. Kathryn Scanland

I live in a condominium building in downtown Chicago. It’s not unusual to get in the elevator with a neighbor who’s got an armful of boxes or general stuff. I then ask what might seem obvious on the surface: “Are you moving”? The answer to that question most frequently is, “No, just need to make room. I can’t bring in anything new unless I make space for it.” I actually view this as a perk of urban living; you have to constantly make choices about creating space.

That very same concept applies to leaders and organizations. For several years now, I’ve had the desire to shift my client base, from X clients to Y clients. That shift has not occurred at the pace I had hoped. I hadn’t been practicing what I preach. I didn’t “make space” for Y clients. Instead, I operated under the premise that I would decrease my X clients once I had built up my Y clients.

Out of frustration, and some guilt that I wasn’t following my own advice, I started to make space. When I was approached by X clients, who clearly didn’t fit my new desired client mix, I started to say “no.” Initially, creating that space felt like a void. It didn’t feel very smart or even strategic. It felt risky. I hit the pause button and I took a number of steps to reduce the risk of making space. Once the risk had been minimized, it really did start to feel strategic, and even smart.

Now with the space available for the type of client I really desire, those clients are starting to appear, and call, and be referred. Making space is working! Ironic, I realize, that I’m surprised by success with my own advice.

I see this same phenomenon happen in organizations. Leaders get excited about their latest strategic plan, the transformations they hope to see occur. But changes they had hoped for only inch forward with little momentum. If that’s the case, there’s a good possibility that the leaders haven’t made space for those plans or transformations to occur. Making space could mean saying “no” to certain types of programs or projects, it could mean eliminating products or services that are winding down or wearing out, etc.

Getting back to my neighbors needing to make space in their condos, it’s not a one-time occurrence. Living in an urban condo, making space, becomes a way of life. So too, it should be a way of life for leaders in their organizations.

I like this quote by Louise Smith. “You can’t reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday’s junk.” Are you, or those you lead, juggling so much of yesterday’s junk that you can’t make space for anything new?

Allow your organization (or yourself) to thrive; make space for it!