Create Space

Create Space Plot Summary

Introduction

Leadership excellence requires more than just technical skills and industry knowledge—it demands the ability to create mental, emotional, and temporal space for reflection, growth, and connection. In today's hyperconnected world, the ability to step back, reflect, and intentionally choose where to focus our attention has become a rare and valuable skill. Throughout this journey, we'll explore how creating space is not just one way of becoming more successful—it actually underpins growth and success itself. Before you can develop and grow, you must first create the space that you will grow into. Whether it's space to think, connect, do, or be, the practice of creating space allows you to operate from a place of choice rather than reaction, wisdom rather than impulse, and purpose rather than pressure.

Chapter 1: Embrace Self-Reflection to Master Your Inner World

Self-reflection is the foundation of effective leadership, requiring us to pause and examine our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors with honesty and curiosity. It's about creating mental space to understand ourselves more deeply, which in turn allows us to lead others more authentically. Raku, a pharmaceutical company general manager with an MBA from Stanford, struggled with rushing through decisions without proper reflection. Despite her impressive credentials, she received a disappointing performance rating from her manager Greg, who observed that she made decisions too hastily, had a fixed mindset, and wasn't truly listening to her team. Through coaching, Raku discovered her core pathogenic belief: "If I don't rush and do lots quickly, I will not catch up." This belief stemmed from childhood feelings of inadequacy compared to her gifted older sister. This unconscious need to "catch up" drove Raku to charge ahead without thinking things through. She would jump to conclusions and solutions without proper deliberation, causing her to make mistakes and alienate her team. Ironically, her rushing actually prevented her from utilizing one of her greatest strengths—her logical intellect. Through coaching, Raku learned to implement a reflective practice using the "Reflecting Cycle," which involves asking three key questions: What do I think about this? How do I feel about this? What could happen/have happened instead? To create your own reflective practice, consider establishing different types of space: temporal space (scheduling time for reflection), physical space (finding environments conducive to deep thinking), relational space (involving others in your reflection when helpful), and psychic space (using techniques like square breathing to center yourself). Even fifteen minutes of dedicated reflection time can yield significant benefits—a Harvard Business School study found that employees who added just fifteen minutes of reflection to the end of their workday increased their productivity by nearly 25% in just ten days. Remember that reflection isn't just a luxury—it's essential for high-quality leadership. By creating space to reflect, you develop a richer, deeper version of yourself that can make better decisions, learn from mistakes, and connect more authentically with others. As Raku's colleagues noticed after her transformation, "It's like we're getting all of Raku now, whereas before we were just skimming the surface."

Chapter 2: Develop a Growth Mindset Through Deliberate Learning

A growth mindset is the belief that your abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—that your talents are just the starting point, not the final destination. This perspective creates a love of learning and resilience essential for great achievement and leadership in today's rapidly changing world. Rachel, a high-flyer in a global snacks business, struggled with this concept. After excelling in HR for a decade, she was given a chance to prove herself in a commercial troubleshooting role and eventually landed one of the most sought-after positions—running the company's account with a major UK supermarket. Despite her previous success, Rachel began failing in this new role. During coaching, she revealed her traumatic childhood with a directionless, depressed single mother who had even spent time homeless. This experience had instilled in Rachel a catastrophic core belief: "If I don't keep excelling all the time or make any kind of mistake, it will start a slippery slope that will end with me losing literally everything." This fear of failure, combined with her inability to ask for help (stemming from having to be the responsible one as a child), was driving Rachel toward the very failure she dreaded. She projected absolute confidence and competence, unable to show vulnerability or admit what she didn't know. Her colleagues observed this, with her PA and a junior team member both noting, "She won't admit what she doesn't know." The breakthrough came when Rachel finally whispered, "I don't know what the fuck I am doing." This admission opened the door to a new approach. She began asking questions, truly listening, and synthesizing information into her own solutions. To develop your own growth mindset, start by examining your inner dialogue. Notice when you're thinking in fixed terms ("I'll never be able to do that" or "That's just the way I am") and challenge these thoughts with evidence. Consider your learning style—are you primarily a reader, watcher, listener, sketcher, or doer? Tailor your learning approach accordingly. The DEEP model of potential can help identify qualities you need to develop across decision-making, execution, emotions and motivation, and people skills. Set concrete learning goals with timelines, build in motivation and rewards, and consider finding a teacher or mentor. Remember what Carol Dweck discovered in her research: people with a growth mindset challenge the idea that failure is final, seeing it instead as a learning experience rather than a reflection of who they are. By embracing this perspective, you create space for continuous growth and development throughout your leadership journey.

Chapter 3: Make Decisive Choices with Clarity and Confidence

Decision-making is the essential bridge between thinking and action. It requires both analytical rigor and intuitive wisdom, along with the courage to commit to a path despite inevitable uncertainty. Creating space to decide means developing the inner freedom to make clear choices and stand by them. Hans, a Finance Director for a key market in the Asia-Pacific region of a multinational, had ambitions to become the global CFO or even CEO. However, his career had stalled because he was labeled as someone who didn't have what it takes to reach the top. During coaching sessions, Hans revealed he had grown up in a fundamentalist religious family where humility was the watchword. If he ever behaved in a bold or loud way, his parents and siblings would admonish him. At the family dinner table, children were expected to contribute only if they had something truly insightful to say, or risk being silenced by a parental hand smack on the table. This upbringing had created a pathogenic belief in Hans that he was only able to contribute effectively when he felt he was the expert—in his case, on finance matters. Outside that comfort zone, he had little to say. This made him an adequate country finance director but prevented him from becoming the kind of CFO who could actively contribute to general commercial debate. Through coaching, Hans processed the fear and shame from his childhood and worked on developing his strategic intelligence. He committed to giving a firm view about something outside his expertise in an upcoming meeting. When the day came, he spoke up about a marketing decision. Though initially fearful, he felt the room paying attention and gained confidence. When the Chief Marketing Officer asked bluntly, "Well, what would you do Hans?" he took a small gulp and gave his view, which ended up carrying the day. To improve your own decision-making, use the Deciding Cycle: gather information, explore options, weigh consequences, make the decision, and review the outcome. Be aware of common cognitive biases like confirmation bias, optimism bias, and the sunk cost fallacy. Balance analytical thinking with intuition—what your "gut" or "heart" tells you. For important decisions, try the "Decision Jumps" exercise: physically stand in different spaces representing your options and notice how your body responds to each. Remember what General Dwight D. Eisenhower said: "In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless but planning is indispensable." The process of thinking through decisions is often more valuable than the plan itself. By creating space for thoughtful decision-making, you develop the clarity and confidence needed to lead effectively in complex, uncertain environments.

Chapter 4: Build Deep Connections Through Emotional Awareness

Emotional awareness is the foundation of authentic leadership and meaningful relationships. It involves recognizing and understanding your own feelings first, then connecting with others from a place of genuine empathy and presence. This awareness creates the psychological safety necessary for teams to thrive. Nick, a newly promoted MD of a division in a UK manufacturing company, was experiencing difficulties. Previously a high-flyer, he was now being described as abrasive, moody, and over-demanding. His boss questioned whether he had the maturity for his bigger role. In coaching sessions, Nick initially appeared surly and dismissive, but eventually revealed his deprived upbringing. His alcoholic father had left when he was young, and his critical stepfather never showed emotion or gave affection. This background had created a core pathogenic belief that he was unworthy and unlovable. When Nick began to understand what he was feeling—fear and a yearning for appreciation—he realized he was projecting his issues with father figures onto his boss, who was distant and uncommunicative. Worse, Nick was unconsciously treating his own team the way he had been treated. There was a breakthrough moment when Nick read feedback from his team and exclaimed, "That's Ron, my stepdad, isn't it? Word for word." To develop his emotional awareness, Nick worked through a program called "Break Free from the Past," which helped him identify his core pathogenic belief and replace his harsh internal critic with a supportive internal ally. You can develop your own emotional awareness through practices like the "feeling and number check-in" (rating your emotions on a scale of 1-10), the "blue sky visualization" (imagining your mind as a sky with thoughts passing like clouds), and asking yourself "how old do I feel right now?" when triggered. This last question helps identify when you might be emotionally re-experiencing something from your past rather than responding to the present situation. Remember that we humans have just a few basic emotions: fear, anger, disgust, shame, loneliness, sadness, surprise/startle, excitement/joy, and trust/love. These emotions exist whether we recognize them or not, and they influence us regardless. By creating space to check in with yourself, you can experience feelings without being controlled by them. As Nick discovered, emotional awareness doesn't just improve your own experience—it transforms how you relate to others, creating deeper connections and more effective leadership.

Chapter 5: Prioritize What Truly Matters in Your Work

Prioritization is the art of distinguishing between what is merely urgent and what is truly important. It requires clarity about your goals, the courage to say no to distractions, and the discipline to focus your limited time and energy on high-impact activities that align with your purpose. Tamsin, the CEO of a healthcare company, had built her reputation on being able to juggle a hundred things, fix any problem, and always deliver. But as her business matured, she seemed to lose her touch. The private equity firm that had initially backed her was now raising doubts about her leadership, seeing an inability to focus on what really mattered. During coaching sessions, Tamsin initially defended herself, but eventually broke down when confronted with feedback from colleagues: "She doesn't listen," "She is all talk," "You can't rely on her to deliver." Tamsin's story revealed why she operated this way. Orphaned young and raised in foster homes, she had found purpose and praise as a teenager by making herself useful in a children's home—helping adults, dealing with other kids, cooking, babysitting, and doing DIY. This pattern continued throughout her career. Her core pathogenic belief was that her value came from fixing everything herself, an approach that had worked in the early days of her business but was ill-suited to leading a larger, more formal organization. A breakthrough came when she spent an entire weekend rewriting a PowerPoint proposal she felt wasn't good enough. When the recipient was asked to compare the two versions, he responded that they were "effectively the same." To improve your own prioritization, start by distinguishing between urgent and important tasks using the Eisenhower Matrix, which categorizes activities into four quadrants: urgent and important (do immediately), important but not urgent (schedule time for), urgent but not important (delegate if possible), and neither urgent nor important (eliminate). Schedule your most important work during your peak energy hours, typically early in the day. Practice time blocking by allocating specific time slots for particular activities and protecting them as you would a meeting. Consider implementing the "two-minute rule"—if a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately; otherwise, schedule it for later. This prevents small tasks from accumulating and becoming overwhelming. Remember that prioritization isn't just about efficiency—it's about effectiveness. As Peter Drucker said, "There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all." By creating space to focus on what truly matters, you'll not only accomplish more meaningful work but also experience greater satisfaction and fulfillment.

Chapter 6: Lead with Purpose by Empowering Others

True leadership isn't about controlling others or doing everything yourself—it's about creating the conditions for people to thrive, grow, and contribute their best work. This requires a fundamental shift from being the star performer to becoming the conductor who brings out the best in the entire orchestra. Yulia, a talented marketing executive at a global consumer goods company, was promoted to lead the marketing team for a major brand. She had always been known for her creativity and work ethic, consistently delivering outstanding results. However, six months into her new role, her team was underperforming and morale was low. During coaching, it became clear that Yulia was still operating as an individual contributor rather than a leader. She was micromanaging her team, redoing their work, and failing to delegate effectively. Yulia's behavior stemmed from her upbringing as the daughter of a demanding Russian ballet teacher who accepted nothing less than perfection. This created a core belief that "if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." Through coaching, Yulia learned to shift from a controlling to an empowering leadership style. She began holding weekly one-on-ones focused on development rather than just task updates. She practiced asking powerful questions instead of providing answers, helping team members think through challenges themselves. Most importantly, she learned to tolerate the discomfort of watching team members struggle through learning experiences rather than jumping in to "save" them. She was metaphorically "feeding" her team rather than teaching them to "fish" for themselves. To lead with purpose and empower others, start by clarifying your leadership philosophy. What kind of leader do you want to be? How do you want people to feel when working with you? Then assess your current delegation practices using the "delegation spectrum" from directing (telling people exactly what to do) to delegating (giving full ownership with minimal oversight). Aim to move toward the delegation end of the spectrum whenever possible. Create psychological safety by acknowledging your own mistakes, encouraging experimentation, and separating the person from the performance when giving feedback. Remember that empowerment isn't abdication—it requires clear expectations, appropriate support, and regular check-ins. As your team members grow in capability and confidence, you'll find yourself with more space to focus on strategic priorities only you can address. As Yulia discovered, the ultimate measure of your success as a leader isn't what you accomplish personally, but what you enable others to achieve.

Chapter 7: Design Your Personal Strategy for Sustainable Success

Sustainable success requires intentional design rather than chance. It means creating a personal strategy that aligns your daily actions with your long-term vision, while maintaining the balance and resilience needed for the journey. This strategic approach prevents burnout and ensures that achievement doesn't come at the cost of wellbeing. Almantas, a senior executive at a technology company, was known for his drive and ambition. He consistently exceeded his targets and was on track for a C-suite position. However, during a routine health check, his doctor warned him about his elevated blood pressure and stress levels. Around the same time, his teenage daughter made a comment that hit him hard: "Dad, you're always physically here but never really present." This wake-up call prompted Almantas to reassess his approach to work and life. During coaching, he realized he had been operating on autopilot, responding to whatever seemed most urgent rather than what was truly important. His core belief was that "success requires sacrifice," but he was beginning to question what he was sacrificing and whether it was worth it. Almantas worked through a process to design his personal strategy. First, he clarified his values and vision, identifying what truly mattered to him across all life domains. Then he conducted a reality check, honestly assessing where he was spending his time and energy. The gap between his stated values and his actual behavior was eye-opening. Next, he set specific goals aligned with his values and developed routines and habits to support them. He created a "rhythm of renewal" by scheduling regular time for physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual rejuvenation. To create your own personal strategy, start by taking inventory of your current reality. How do you spend your time? What gives you energy versus draining it? What are your strengths and development areas? Then clarify your purpose—the intersection of what you're good at, what you enjoy, what the world needs, and what you can be rewarded for. Set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) in key life areas and create accountability mechanisms to help you stay on track. Remember that sustainable success isn't about achieving perfect balance every day, but rather about making intentional choices aligned with your values over time. As author Greg McKeown writes, "If you don't prioritize your life, someone else will." By designing your personal strategy, you take control of your journey and create space for what truly matters. Almantas discovered that when he aligned his actions with his values, not only did his wellbeing improve, but his effectiveness as a leader increased as well.

Summary

The journey to creating space in your leadership begins with a profound realization: we have become the first generation in a thousand generations of human beings who, rather than having the need to fill space, have the need to create it. In our hyper-connected, always-on world, the ability to step back, reflect, and intentionally choose where to focus our attention has become a rare and valuable skill. Take one small step today toward creating more space in your leadership. Perhaps it's blocking fifteen minutes for reflection at the end of your workday, practicing a "feeling check-in" before an important meeting, delegating a task you've been holding too tightly, or scheduling time for a meaningful conversation with someone who matters to you. Remember that creating space isn't about doing nothing—it's about making room for what truly matters. In that space lies your greatest potential for impact, fulfillment, and growth.

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Derek Draper

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