I recently learned that the word school comes from the ancient Greek word skholē, meaning leisure, spare time or rest.

Learning, discussion, debate and philosophy were activities people pursued when they had enough space away from the demands of daily work. Over time, the word evolved to describe the conversations themselves, the people involved in them, and eventually the place where instruction occurred.

The word business followed a different path.

Its roots can be traced to Old English words associated with care, concern, attention and being occupied with something important. Long before it became associated with commerce and trade, business referred to matters that demanded a person’s time, energy and focus.

One word emerged from space. The other emerged from attention.

Most organizations need both.

They need people who care deeply about results, customers, responsibilities and commitments. They also need people who can step back, think clearly, challenge assumptions and make sense of what is happening around them.

Yet many workplaces make room for one and squeeze out the other.

• Care becomes constant activity.
• Attention becomes urgency.
• Occupancy becomes a measure of value.

Meanwhile, the space required for learning, reflection and thoughtful discussion slowly disappears.

What remains outside our awareness does not disappear simply because we are busy. It continues influencing decisions, behaviour and outcomes whether we recognize it or not.

An organization can be filled with intelligent, committed and hardworking people and still struggle to learn often because they care so much that all available energy is consumed responding, producing, solving and delivering.

The very commitment that drives performance can also reduce the opportunity to reflect on whether attention is being directed at the right things.

Perhaps one of the most important leadership responsibilities is creating conditions where care and learning can coexist.

Organizations need people who are deeply engaged in the work with enough space to understand the work clearly.

Strategic Reflection Prompt

Where in your organization has the pressure to stay occupied begun to crowd out the space needed for thoughtful learning, reflection and understanding?

About Giselle

Most costly decisions begin with an inaccurate understanding of the situation.

I’m increasingly interested in how leaders make sense of uncertainty, complexity, and important decisions. If you could better understand one thing about your business right now, what would it be?

Giselle Hudson is a Pre-Decision Diagnostic Advisor who helps leaders gain clarity before major decisions are made or resources are committed to the wrong solution.