In author Peter Brooks’ book, “Empty Space”, Brooks makes the case that, for any meaningful change to take place in our lives, we first need an Empty Space.  Now, he is talking in reference to acting for the stage and how artists need to first create an empty space for any new action to take place in, but I feel that his point is true for business leaders as well.

Most business leaders deal with “clutter” on a daily basis; this “clutter” is the day-to-day minutiae that we insist on focusing on in our daily business. Walgreen took the bold step of eliminating the soda counter at their drug stores to create a new focus on growing their pharmaceutical business with the aging population. McDonald’s decided to sell off all of their sister brands to focus on average unit volume and menu development.  Each had to make the decision to “Stop Doing” before they could rebuild their Brand; they had to create room for something of importance to grow. 

Entrepreneur Alan Weiss argues that “we need ‘white space’… in our lives, breathing room to reflect, to mourn, to rejoice, to share, to plan, to meditate, to appreciate.” He explains that “white space” refers to “text that's easier to read because of surrounding, empty space.”

It’s a matter of perspective, really. Many times, as we approach changing a culture or business strategy, we attempt to bring about the change on top of all the activities we are currently working on. But for anything of value to grow, there must be a clear, open space in which it can grow and prosper. If you are able to zoom out from the day-to-day “business” of your business and create a little space for yourself, maybe then you’ll be able to see your business’ future with the clarity that you need.

So, the question for you is this:

What are you willing to “Stop Doing” that really isn't adding value to your customer or driving the growth of your Brand?  Once you decide on that, you can create the “Space” for your organization to get ready for something really important to grow.

Happy Harvesting!

Kevin Dunn
August, 2011