Would you like time and space to think?

Would you like time and space, free from distraction, where you can give attention to what’s important?

In a fast-paced world, it can be hard to find time to think for yourself, to pay attention to what matters.

When life is hectic, dedicating time to do that may seem unproductive.

What if there was a way to think with depth and rigor that could help you reclaim time?

In this blog, I’ll explore the difference it can make to have uninterrupted time to think for yourself, and I’ll share a way you can be with others, a way to support them to think well, individually and collectively.

Have you been at meetings where people weren’t really listening to each other, where there was no space or time for thoughtful or meaningful discussion. When that happens, it can cause people to switch off, to check out. They disengage.

I’d like to tell you about a simple yet dependable framework that results in meetings that are dynamic, energising and productive.

A way to allow for space to think well, a way to have meetings that matter.

When I first encountered Time to Think, I was working in a role where I  often needed to make decisions about complex problems. The observation of Nancy Kline (founder of Time to Think)  that “the quality of everything we do depends on the quality of thinking we do first” resonated with me. I had found myself sitting through meetings where people didn’t always listen well to each other, where discussions weren’t as rigorous as they needed to be. I sensed something was missing but couldn’t identify what was wrong. I found the answer when I came across the conditions of a Thinking Environment, when I experienced how ( as Nancy Kline has observed) “the quality of our thinking depends on how we're treated when we're thinking”.

The more I learned about a Thinking Environment®, the more fascinated I became by the difference it makes to be in the presence of the Ten Components. And I was equally fascinated by the simplicity of this approach , how the conditions are created by behaviours can be embodied by anyone, in any setting. Behaviours that have reliably been shown to make a difference to how people think, behaviours that enable people to perform at their best.

How can a Thinking Environment unlock your finest thinking?

Let’s start with the component of attention. Do you find that it’s hard to focus on what you need to think about, because of distraction or interruption, or because of how you’re being treated by others?

It can seem as if we are destined to be distracted, possibly by interruption from others, or by digital distraction. We can even be distracted by ourselves at times.

Being interrupted not only shuts down what you’re saying, it can also derail your thinking. You may have been about to reach an insight or generate the answer to a problem.

Perhaps you were about to change your mind about something or follow a new avenue of thought, yet you were cut short before you got there.

Have you ever been in conversation with someone who doesn’t appear to be interested in what you’re saying? They interrupt you before you’re finished or they talk over you. What if you’re in a situation where you don’t feel respected? Being treated in these ways can lead you to be constrained in what you say, may cause you to hold back on offering an opinion. It can lessen your confidence.

When we experience disruption or distraction in these ways, it leads to poorer, narrower thinking. Opportunities can be missed.

As well as external distractions, do you ever notice you distract yourself from thinking something through fully, stopping before you figure it out? One reason for that may be that there seem to be obstacles in the way, or that your options seem limited.

Having time and space in a thinking environment is a powerful way to counteract those limitations and distractions. It is an opportunity to think well for yourself in the presence of a listener who promises not to interrupt you, who is interested and encouraging, who won’t intervene and start telling you what to do.

How often do you get the chance to be listened to in that way?

Dedicating time to be in the presence of non-judgmental, encouraging attention can help you think clearly and purposefully.

When you’re free from distraction, you can think with depth and with rigor, and it enables you to make better decisions.

When a decision emerges from your own thinking, you will be more confident to take the next step, to make progress.

What can happen in a Thinking Environment?

I remember the impact of being listened to with that quality of attention the first time I attended a Time To Think course. Having time to figure out what I wanted to change was empowering. I had the space to open my mind to new possibilities. Being in the presence of generative attention enabled me explore what was possible and to make decisions for myself.

Decisions that I felt secure about and was confident to progress.

Having experienced the power of this for myself, I started training as a Time To Think Coach and Facilitator so that I could work with others , creating non-judgmental spaces for fresh thinking, where people could think with courage and clarity. After a few years , I then qualified as a Time to Think Consultant and teacher of accredited Programmes. I now offer Time To Think courses where people can have dedicated thinking time and also learn practical ways to create thinking environments in their work and their lives.

What’s different about a Thinking Environment? 

I’ve met people who find that when they need to figure something out, their thinking seems to go around in circles. They can’t seem to make headway, they get stuck. I’ve met others who are exhausted by having too many things on their mind. They move from one thing to another, finding it hard to focus on what most needs attention. Thinking a lot but not thinking well.

Being in a thinking environment is a way to break free of those patterns of circular, limiting overthinking. When you are listened to by someone who believes in your own capacity to find an answer, who is fascinated by the richness and depth of your independent thinking, who can offer an incisive question when it’s needed , it can lead to breakthrough thinking.

A world of possibility is contained within a thinking partner’s promise not to interrupt, as outlined by Nancy Kline in her book “The Promise that Changes Everything: I Won’t Interrupt You”.  Knowing that you won't be interrupted creates ease, and gives you space to sift through your thoughts, to examine what needs attention. Having time to explore what’s in the shadows of your mind, you may uncover what’s holding you back. Our thoughts are real but they’re not always true. Maybe you’re assuming something that’s not true, and that assumption is holding you back, limiting you.

Knowing you won’t be interrupted means you can be at ease if you fall silent as you think. In silence, answers can reveal themselves, truth can be found. After a pause, after silence, something may shift you as you hear yourself verbalise what you’ve been thinking. Sometimes it's only when you can hear yourself say what you think that you realise the truth . The possible is always present but possibilities can be hidden from view. If you’re stuck, if your thinking is blocked for some reason, being asked an incisive question can help you break free, break through the wall of doubt to see what's possible.

If you want time to think for yourself, in an encouraging, non-judgmental environment, free from distraction, if you’d like to know more about what can happen in a Coaching Thinking Session, book a Discovery Call.  

If you’d like to experience thinking in this way and also learn how you can generate the best thinking of others, join me on my next Foundation Programme or email me for information about future Programmes.

Can a Thinking Environment be created for a group?

I love the fact that these behaviours and this way of being can be embodied by anyone and can be applied in a range of settings.

The Ten Components are behaviours that can unlock high-quality collective thinking for a group or a team. Creating these conditions is an uncomplicated way for a group or a team to be in a space where they can feel energised, enthusiastic, empowered.

If you’re frustrated by meetings that don’t deliver results, creating a thinking environment can help you change that.

If you’re tired of mediocre meetings that don’t seem to matter, this is a way to transform them.

The principles behind Time To Think are supported by neuroscience, and by evidence that the quality of one person’s attention determines the quality of another’s thinking. When the right conditions are in place, when people are at ease, encouraged, appreciated, they are more likely to think well. When people feel their thinking matters, fresh thinking can surface.

Have you ever noticed that if you’re put on the spot, if you’re under pressure, it can be hard to think clearly, to come up with your best ideas?

Feeling threatened can trigger a response, pumping stress hormones of cortisol and adrenaline and slowing  down the creative part of the brain, the part that enables strategic thinking and decision making. Being in a negative environment can inhibit your ability to think laterally, can limit potential and lead to poorer quality decisions. Creating a positive environment keeps those thought-disturbing hormones at bay  and allows for higher quality thinking.

If you’re wondering if I’m describing unstructured free-form discussion, let me reassure I’m not. Creating a thinking environment results in an exquisite balance of structure and ease, that enables robust discussion and rigorous thinking. It’s a dependable way to reliably produce results and to save time.

Have you ever been at a meeting where a few voices dominate the discussion? When a few people monopolise a meeting, quieter people can’t get a word in, they have to fight for space to speak. When that happens, the quality of thinking in the room is weaker. Valuable ideas or information may never be shared. People may never realise the information or knowledge that others have to offer.

If you're in a meeting where not all voices are heard, it  means that not all the wisdom and intelligence available is gathered. When that happens, opportunities are missed for creative, collective thinking. Collaboration is weaker.

Some people believe that in a fast-paced world, there isn’t time to allow everyone be heard in a meeting, that to do so would hinder progress. Using the Thinking Environment framework with boundaried time is a way to structure a meeting that enables constructive, engaged and inclusive discussion.  Hearing all voices, not only those who speak loudest or longest, enhances the quality of thinking and discussion and delivers better results. The thinking will be richer and so will the work. On my Foundation course,  you can learn how to structure and focus meetings, with an approach to dialogue and discussion that enables you hear from everyone in the room, encouraging their finest thinking.

In a Thinking Environment, people think so well in the time they have, that the time they have increases. As Nancy Kline has said “ finding time to think is not the point. Changing the way we treat each other while we are thinking is the point”.

What are the benefits of creating a Thinking Environment for a group or a team?

I’m fascinated by what happens when we stop interrupting, when we listen to ignite instead of listening to reply. When people listen with care, when they let go of unhelpful behaviours, they can dialogue respectfully and build on each other’s  thinking.

Accessing everyone’s expertise and knowledge broadens the options available to the group and encourages collaboration.

Creating these conditions will build trust and connection in a team  and will lead to better performance.

When people trust each other, when they feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to admit mistakes, to call out risks.  They are more likely to challenge limiting assumptions that may be untrue but could lead to a problem  if unchecked.

As people listen well to each other, it can lead to unexpected connections, to innovative solutions. The richness of their different perspectives can spark creative thinking. When people shift  to a “Yes, And” mindset from a“ No, But” mindset, they can move from competition to collaboration.

Introducing these conditions and practices, developing people’s skills to interact more effectively, can enable fundamental change.

Independent thinking is a critical skill to develop

The thinking environment framework enables rigorous independent thinking and helps prevent groupthink. Giving people the opportunity to think for themselves is how creative ideas can flourish. This is an approach  that encourages sharing of knowledge and wisdom while also building people’s capacity to think well for themselves. An approach that elevates everybody’s thinking.

Listening to inspire builds the capacity of people to solve their own problems.

Have you noticed that in a meeting or conversation, a person may seem to be waiting for the speaker to stop, they ’re planning what they’ll say as soon as they get a chance. They’re not really listening. Their attention is more on what they’re thinking (on what they’ll say as soon as they get a chance!) than on what the speaker is saying. They’re listening to reply.

In a Thinking Environment, we’re interested in what a person is saying now and and in what they will say next. In a group meeting, where each person has a turn to speak, we listen with interest and promise not to interrupt in their boundaried time. We give a quality of attention that’s generative, that encourages and ignites their thinking.

Listening in this way can be challenging, especially for people who have become conditioned to default to problem-solving, to diagnose as they listen, to be ready to fix.

When someone comes to you for help, do you find that as you listen, you start coming up with an answer before they’re finished ? The risk is that in the drive to get things done, responding in that way may mean you miss an opportunity to encourage them to find their own answer. Defaulting to “fixing” may mean that you miss a chance to empower them to handle it themselves. Listening to ignite someone’s thinking can restore their power for independent thinking. When people think well for themselves, it elevates the quality of the discussion and enhances what they can create collectively.

What do you think?

When were you last asked that, listened to by someone who was interested in what you had to say?

We’re hard wired to answer questions. Creating a thinking environment and offering good questions is the most effective way to encourage people to think creatively, to find the best solutions to problems.

In my experience of working with groups and teams, there is real value in figuring out, as you plan a meeting, what question can we invite people to think about during the meeting?

Questions drive discovery. As people consider and answer a question, it can move them to purposeful action. Answering a question can lead to a shift in opinions, to fresh thinking. A question may prompt thinking that continues after the meeting has ended.

Considering and answering a question can inspire ownership and engagement. If you want people to be involved, to take on responsibility for what needs to be done, asking “what do you think?” will help them feel part of the solution. Answering a question can help generate a feeling of ownership and accountability.

Think of an important meeting you’re planning. What’s the purpose of the meeting: do you need to solve a problem, or are you gathering people to discuss something that requires a decision? Do you want the group to engage with a strategy, do you need them to be involved in implementation?  What outcome you want or need from the meeting?  What question could people think about during the meeting, to serve that outcome, to help make progress on the issue?

The mind that opens to a new idea never returns to its original size (Albert Einstein).

Asking a question can excite imagination about the future. It can encourage people to think about what needs to change. Listening to others as they answer questions can spark new perspectives and new insights. Offerring people a question that challenges assumptions can lead to breakthrough thinking.  

Would you like meetings that generate thinking, that produce results?

Creating these conditions in a meeting, and allocating time for Rounds, Pairs, etc. (the Building Blocks of a Thinking Environment) will save you time and make a meeting more productive. Creating space to focus on key questions makes a meeting more dynamic and can enable constructive discussion. The thinking environment is a way to be with each other that can improve the quality of thinking, of listening, of understanding, and of collaboration. It’s a way to ignite thinking and produce better results.

If you’d like to learn how to use this simple framework so that meetings are run efficiently, are dynamic and productive, and deliver better outcomes, join me on my next Foundation course. You can learn, experience and practice the conditions and behaviours that create this kind of an environment. You can learn practical ways to apply them in your meetings, in your conversations, in your life.

Give yourself the gift of time and space to think and time to learn, it will help you reclaim time in the long run.

Give yourself time to see what’s possible.

Other articles you may be interested in: