White Space....Time for Creativity

As we are now deep into the Holiday Season, we are all busy running around to parties, shopping, and preparing for our celebrations. Here at the firm, we are all busy doing those things as well as preparing last minute tax projections for our clients, finishing up audit reports or finishing client projects before we take a few days off. Despite all of this day to day running around and tending to our clients, have we made time for a little "White Space?". Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, Built to Last and How the Mighty Fall, describes "White Space" as a prerequisite for fresh and creative thought. He talks about putting away our "gadgets" and "disconnect".

So what does "White Space" do for our organizations?

It is very easy to get stuck in the transactional parts of our businesses, such as, client projects, time sheets, billing, e-mail, phone messages....the list goes on and on.

But when do we schedule time to be creative? To be visionary? How about time to plan for 2012? We need to carve out some "White Space" to recharge and refocus as well get the creative juices flowing again.  Maybe if you can find an hour per week to sit at a Starbucks with your favorite hot beverage and a blank notebook and just start thinking.

Here are some thoughts on how to use your "White Space":

- Develop a mini personal strategic plan for 2012. Focus on your personal goals and how they fit into your organizational goals.

- Make a list of 10 new services you can provide or 10 new projects you would like to start. Just list them on a piece of paper.  Your not going to implement them all. Some of them might not be any good. But the mind dump will help you stir the creative pot.

- Think about your 5 biggest challenges and try to think about a solution for one of them.

In order to continue to grow our organizations, whether they be nonprofit or for profit, we need the "White Space". So as you close out 2011 and embark on a new year, take time time to create your own "White Space" and see what colors you can paint on your canvas.