Leading at PMI: Inner and Outer Space

Inner and Outer Space

Anyone who has raised a teenager (or remembers being one) knows the phrase give me some space! It is com-monly uttered by someone who feels fenced in, over-controlled or frustrated by his lack of power over his own situation. Dilbert, the cartoon spokesperson for corporate American office workers, constantly profiles managers as control freaks who give their employees little or no space, physically or figuratively.
As leaders, we need to understand both inner and outer space.
By inner space we mean the space your employees want and need mentally and emotionally in order to feel like creative, productive, thinking members of the team. It includes space to: be self directed, manage one’s own time and work and think in new ways.
Outer space refers to the physical world and primarily to our employees’ work environment. It includes space to: design one’s own work area, work from different places, and take a break.


Challenge The Process

One key behavior of Challenging the Process is to balance the paradox of routines. The fluctuations, disturbances and imbalances of day-to-day life at PMI are the primary sources of creativity for our employees. Are you perhaps stifling that creativity by hold-ing on to old routines?
Giving Space
Between inner and outer space, which one is hard for you to give? Challenge yourself work on your weaknesses by exploring new ways to give your employees space.