Creating S.P.A.C.E. to lead: a transformative model for intentional leadership

Contributed by David LeBlanc

As we have continued to refine and enhance the S.P.A.C.E to Lead Model, creating S.P.A.C.E. to Lead offers leaders a range of transformative objectives and outcomes to help enhance their leadership practice. These outcomes align with personal growth, team performance, and organizational success. When we talk about creating this space, there are key objectives, depending on what part of the larger system we are looking at. These objectives go far beyond our individual role as leader (title or not!):

Personal Growth

• Clarity of Purpose: Time to refine goals and align actions with long-term vision.
• Enhanced Self-Awareness: Deeper understanding of personal strengths, values, and blind spots.
• Improved Decision-Making: Thoughtful evaluation of options, leading to more strategic and impactful decisions.
• Resilience and Energy Renewal: Opportunities to recharge mentally and emotionally, reducing burnout and enhancing focus.
• Increased Creativity: Space to think outside the box, leading to innovative ideas and solutions.

Team Development

• Improved Relationships: Time to reflect on team dynamics and foster stronger, more authentic connections.
• Empowered Delegation: Identifying areas to empower team members, fostering trust and accountability.
• Clear Communication: Thoughtful preparation for meaningful and impactful conversations.
• Psychological Safety: Creating an environment where team members feel valued, heard, and able to contribute.

Organizational Impact

• Strategic Alignment: Opportunity to assess alignment between team activities and organizational goals.
• Proactive Leadership: Anticipating challenges and opportunities rather than reacting to crises.
• Cultural Influence: Strengthening leadership presence and modeling behaviors that support a healthy organizational culture.

Emotional Intelligence and Awareness

• Regulated Emotions: Space to process emotions, increasing capacity to respond rather than react in challenging situations.
• Empathy Development: Enhanced ability to understand and address the needs and perspectives of others.
• Conflict Resolution: Thoughtful engagement in resolving tensions constructively.

Systemic Thinking

• Holistic Perspective: Viewing challenges and opportunities from a broader systems-thinking lens.
• Long-Term Planning: Focusing on sustainable solutions rather than short-term fixes.
• Adaptability: Building capacity to adjust to changing environments with intention and focus.

Leadership Excellence

• Vision Refinement: Revisiting and reinforcing the “why” behind leadership efforts.
• Personal Fulfillment: Reconnecting with the intrinsic satisfaction of leading authentically and effectively.

By creating this intentional space, leaders can align their actions with their values, foster meaningful connections, and sustain their ability to lead effectively over time. In support of this, LeBlanc Leadership Group is excited to launch the official S.P.A.C.E. to Lead Model:

Leadership isn’t just about doing more — it’s about creating the SPACE to pause, reflect, and lead with purpose.

• Stillness to reset.
• Perspective to see the bigger picture.
• Assess to evaluate what’s working.
• Clarify to focus on what matters.
• Engage to act with intention.

Stillness

• What It Means:
  The practice of pausing to reflect and recharge. Stillness is about creating a calm, uninterrupted space to process emotions, ideas, and challenges.
• Focus:
  Embracing moments of quiet to foster deeper insights and emotional balance.
• Key Question:
  What can I learn or notice by allowing myself to pause?

Perspective

• What It Means:
  Broadening your view to understand the bigger picture, considering diverse viewpoints and system-level implications.
• Focus:
  Stepping outside of immediate concerns to reflect on how actions, decisions, and dynamics connect.
• Key Question:
  What does this situation look like from a broader perspective?

Assess

• What It Means:
  Evaluating current circumstances, actions, and results with a critical eye. Assessment is about identifying successes, gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
• Focus:
  Gaining clarity by examining what’s working, what isn’t, and why.
• Key Question:
  What do I need to learn from this situation?

Clarify

• What It Means:
  Distilling insights into a clear plan of action or understanding. Clarity brings focus to what truly matters, cutting through complexity and ambiguity.
• Focus:
  Transforming knowledge into actionable priorities that align with values and goals.
• Key Question:
  What matters most, and how can I articulate it clearly?

Engage

• What It Means:
  Putting plans and insights into action with purpose and energy. Engagement is about re-entering your leadership role with intention and focus.
• Focus:
  Acting thoughtfully, building relationships, and driving meaningful progress.
• Key Question:
  How can I lead with purpose and inspire others through my actions?

In upcoming issues of TEAMshift Magazine, look for resources, tool and stories that will inspire you and your leadership practice as you work to create intentional space for your personal and professional growth and development.

And, if you would like to learn more about Team Coaching and how to create space for you, your leaders, and their teams, contact David at LeBlanc Leadership.