It seems strange that, in almost every list including my own, the component of ‘Place’ ends up being the last of the ten components to cultivate the best possible environment for independent thinking. Well, people do often save the best until last, and with ‘Place’, I believe this really is the case.
The core principle of Place is simple, yet the deeper ramifications feel almost infite, as are the potential actions we can all choose to take in response to this component. However, I don’t think those actions have equal weight, so I’m going to endeavour to prioritise them, drawing out what decisions deserve the most attention when we’re trying to create a physical environment that oozes expressions of ‘you matter’; and that’s the jist of this component, to make the place in which we think together say ‘you matter’ as loudly as possible. First though, let’s start by sharing the Time to Think behavioural guide in its current and latest guise;
Producing a physical environment – the room, the listener, your body – that says, ‘You matter’.
The initial focus, both of Nancy Kline in her early writing, and of anyone who comes across this component for the first time, is the impact of the space itself on how we think, whether that’s sitting in a cafe on the roadside of a busy urban street, or a calm and quiet lake in the middle of nowhere. This alone is a really exciting area; the study of environmental psychology explores how our environment affects the way we think. It is relatively in its infancy, but the data coming through from neuroscience and beyond is compelling. We’ll touch on this here, both theoretically and practically, but something tells me as I write this, that once we’re seeking to create a thinking environment, it’s ‘the listener and your body’, not the room, that offers the greatest potential to influence the physical environment for the better.
Because of Virtual Reality, interest and the consequent investment in environmental psychology is increasing. Neuroscientists can now show how certain high stimulus environments boost the levels of cortisol, whilst other more comforting, low stimulus environments drive the creation of dopamine and serotonin. An increase in these vital reward chemicals drives blood flow to the brain and an increase in neural activity - we think better. Interestingly, and as many fans of VR will testify, researchers are managing to create these chemical changes in the virtual world, so you don’t have to be in nature to receive at least some of the positive impacts that the environment offers. Add an oxygen feed up your nostrils, and bingo-bango, you’re in the epitome of natural, body-enriching serenity without so much as leaving the armchair of your 16th floor, one-bed apartment, bang in the centre of a polluted, urban hellscape. I think we can expect VR Chill bars to hit most urban high streets in the next decade. Or maybe they already exist? Do they? If not, why not!
we can expect VR Chill bars to hit most urban high streets in the next decade
So, we know the environment changes the chemical mix in our brains, and with the right environment, we think more effectively. But what kind of environment has what kind of effect? Well, there’s been research here too, though it’s far harder to be objective about the conclusions. Researchers suspect that there are some elements of the physical environment which we’re programmed to respond to genetically. For example, and for a rather obvious survival rationale, environmental psychologists talk about ‘the duality of prospect and refuge’. In essence, our genetic preference is to be situated where we have some feeling of protection, or refuge, but at the same time also able to appreciate what's going on around us. Hence why, given the choice of where to sit in a restaurant, most people will choose to sit on the outskirts, looking in, rather than pride of place in the centre of the restaurant with their back to the kitchen. Genetic preference for the environment probably goes further than this, with colours, curves and straight lines having repeatable impacts on human-beings. All this research is shaping both the VR world, and of course how architects design the real world. However, most of the influence an environment has on people is shaped, not by nature and evolution, but by culture, experience, knowledge and upbringing, and that means different people will have different responses to the same environment, with common cultural themes and patterns arising.
But what does this have to do with teams, and thinking better together?
Well, rather a lot, since teams have to come together to think in physical spaces (or virtual physical spaces like zoom), and those places are proven to have an impact on how they think. So, even taken at its most basic level, the idea of attempting to create a physical space that says ‘you matter’, clearly matters rather a lot. Oppressive boardrooms that seek to demonstrate the prowess of the organisation, its owners and their egos, isn’t helping to generate the dopamine, or inhibit the creation of cortisol, that then helps the occupants to think at their best.
the idea of attempting to create a physical space that says ‘you matter’, clearly matters rather a lot.
When one starts to think about simple steps to make a meeting space shout ‘you matter’, the ideas hopefully flow thick and fast. Here are just a few, which I’ve tried to prioritise from my experience working with teams:
Make sure the room is definitely booked, secured, and won’t suffer from interruptions.
Put out the number of chairs equal to the number of people attending
Provide chairs that feel fabulous to sit in, so the body feels instantly good.
Position the chairs out equally, ideally in a circle (or arc, if presenting)
Layout fresh water, glasses and healthy slow-release carb snacks for everyone
Choose AV equipment that just works, rather than causing distraction and irritation for all concerned.
Ideally, have a room with plenty of natural light, or…
consider SAD lighting, which emulates natural sunlight
If there must be a power point, set up the room so everyone can view it equally and easily (and drop the words to a minimum).
A little bit of plant life wouldn’t go amiss aesthetically, but more importantly it can contribute to the purity of the air in the room
But here’s the rub.
It’s great if all the above happens, and I’ve no doubt every step helps to offer a better physical environment for meeting and thinking. However, our brains are really good at filtering out things that don’t matter in the here and now. Once we’ve confirmed that we’re safe, happy and comfortable, our physical environment quite quickly drops to the background. Provided that environment doesn’t interrupt its occupants, either through background noise, poor planning to ensure privacy (I’m astounded by the number of times teams find themselves in double-booked spaces) or bad equipment, then it all but disappears in our minds as we’re drawn to focus on what really matters - each other.
I think that’s why I’ve somewhat fallen in love with this component. Once we accept that we, as thinkers and listeners, encased in our physical bodies, come to swiftly be the most vibrant (one hopes) element in the room, suddenly a whole new host of opportunities arise to make the environment scream, “YOU MATTER”. Because we are involved in the thinking, we’re never going to drop into the background. To that end, we become the real focus of ‘place’, and because Place becomes all about us, it must then encapsulate all the other components.
Because we are involved in the thinking, we’re never going to drop into the background
As an example, if we recognise the importance of ease in removing our own internal urgency, so that we can truly offer generative attention to the thinker, then how we’ve looked after our physical body leading up to the meeting has to play a significant part in saying, ‘you matter’. If we’re sitting in the room hungover, having eaten too much, and not drunk enough water, then we’re highly unlikely to be able to offer our finest generative attention. We’re also unlikely to make much effort to praise. Distracted by our own bodies, we’re unable to bring our whole selves as a listener or a thinker and we’re certainly not likely to be seeking to encourage the thinker to explore the edge of their own thinking. Indeed, sometimes we’ll struggle to explore even the inner circle of our own thinking.
I’m left with a bit of a conundrum then, because of course, as a lover of fine wine, good beer and tastebud-tingling delicacies, I’ve done this. I’ve got carried away, and not been ‘all there’ in meetings. I’m sure most people have. Perhaps the best we can offer then, is to show up with a little humility and honesty, and assuming the culture permits it, openly say we’re just not all there right now, apologise, then do our best. That said, it’s also worth asking, what is it about the meeting, the company involved, or indeed the whole system we find ourselves in that leads us to choose to not bring our whole selves, functioning at our very best, to every meeting. I suppose it’s inherently human to slip up once in a while, but if it’s happening time and time again, what’s going on with the wider system that is driving that?
If we’re lucky enough to be sitting in a room of people who care, discussing a subject worth caring about, then it’s worth taking every effort we can muster. Both in terms of ourselves and our physical and mental well-being, and in terms of the space in which we meet, we will invariably want to find as many ways as we can to say to each other, ‘you matter’.
If we’re lucky enough to be sitting in a room of people who care, discussing a subject worth caring about, then it’s worth taking every effort we can muster
I’m struck as I write this by the idea of purpose-led organisations and true employee engagement. In truth, it is never luck that brings this reality about. If we’ve worked to create a workplace that has meaning and purpose for its team, then people are only very rarely going to turn up in a state that fails to say, ‘you matter’. Because the task matters to them, and they matter to each other, they’ll inevitably want to say to each other, ‘you matter’. Behind the place then, is quite clearly the purpose. If the purpose isn’t there, then you can buy all the plants and fancy chairs you like, but ultimately, it won’t matter a jot.
Remind you of anywhere? If that’s where you find yourself, perhaps then it’s time for a change. It’s really hard to say ‘you matter’, when in your heart of hearts, you just know it doesn’t.
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