Connecting with Place & Expansive Thinking

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Connecting with Place & Expansive Thinking  

In a fast-paced world where efficiency often takes priority, it’s easy to overlook the more subtle details in our everyday spaces. The recent Connecting with Place session asked Leaders (Future Leaders 3) to step away from their professional mindsets and explore central Manchester as everyday citizens.

For both Leaders Plus and Future Leaders, this exercise is an opportunity for candidates to flex their expansive/creative thinking muscles and consider places as people rather than by discipline or by the project they’re dialed into. For Leaders Plus, expansive thinking is taken up a level, where candidates explore how to observe – and value – team and stakeholder assumptions, differences, and those subtle details.  

Setting out from host space WSP with curiosity, open-mindedness and raincoats; each group took part in an exercise designed to help them step outside of their comfort zone and challenge perceptions. Some interviewed strangers, others photographed signs, sketched buildings, or engaged their senses with eyes closed.

We’re all aware of the stark contrast between historical buildings and modern developments in the city centre of Manchester. For our alert participants, these familiar areas were now glaring with previously overlooked details: detailed murals, hidden alleyways, repetitive signage, sounds & sights of thriving wildlife and the unique mix of shared public space.  

Where places like Deansgate-Castlefield would normally be seen as a thoroughfare with the Metrolink and train station dominating the space, wrapped in a landscape of glass highrises. Participants considered the tourists, the commuters, the shoppers, the heritage of the Mamucium roman fort, the welcoming and diverse spaces for arts, culture and the impact of the vibrant musical history with The Haçienda. 

Stepping outside (of your professional routine)  

By stepping outside our routine perspectives, we can better identify challenges and opportunities that may otherwise go unnoticed. For example, a 15-minute walk through your local area, with a shift of your usual outlook, might reveal surprising insights such as the juxtaposition of signage, unexpected street hazards affecting accessibility or just that there’s more green space than you think! 

Effective leadership requires an understanding of many diverse perspectives, which often means stepping into unfamiliar territory. By engaging in activities that make us feel vulnerable, such as interviewing strangers or standing in the street with our eyes closed (we recommend bringing a buddy if you decide to do this!), we have the opportunity to reflect on the challenges people face when navigating complex systems in their day-to-day lives.  

Engaging with curiosity (expansive thinking)  

Exploring different perspectives and being open to new ideas in our day-to-day is a great way to practice expansive thinking, providing simple opportunities to challenge perceptions. Observational exercises like the walkabout also help build comfort with ambiguity, highlighting the discomfort that comes with stepping outside the norm of your routine.  

But observation isn’t just about sight. Spaces also have distinct sounds, smells, and textures that influence how people experience them. A busy street may be visually appealing but overwhelmingly loud, or a park might offer peace but lack accessibility. Noticing this variation in experiences can lead to more inclusive design, delivery and use of public space.  

Embracing curiosity can lead to new insights and provide skills crucial for leaders navigating complex challenges. Both Future Leaders and Leaders Plus programmes offer a wide variety of beyond-the-classroom learning and insight opportunities, encouraging participants to engage with place in a refreshing and reflective way.  

Challenging assumptions (about familiar places or routines) 

Connecting with spaces beyond a particular professional perspective gives you deeper insight into what makes cities functional, vibrant and accommodating (or not), and can inform more human-centered solutions. Even in familiar spaces, small changes such as new roadworks or different weather conditions can shift perceptions; by reflecting on your surroundings regularly, you can nurture your own curiosity and fresh thinking.  

The Connecting with Place exercise reveals more flexible spaces in the city, shifting patterns of foot traffic, and heightened tension between maintaining historical architecture and increased evolving of modern developments.   

  • By stepping outside professional roles and engaging with places as ‘normal citizens’, we can gain a richer understanding of the challenges and opportunities that shape our environments. 
  • Expansive thinking is a mindset that can be created through deliberate observation, creative risk-taking, and a willingness to embrace new perspectives and it can unlock new insights for problem-solving in leadership. 
  • If you can approach spaces and situations with an open mind, you can nurture deeper connections with the world around you and unlock innovative solutions – whether that’s on a site visit or in a tricky meeting. 

Why not try walking around your own area to identify three things you’d never noticed before?  

If you’d like guidance on setting up this workshop and walkabout – which includes reporting back through some safe-space presentation practice – or are curious about other Future of GM insight opportunities, get in touch!  

Additional reading & resources:  

Read this on expansive thinking; there are many [often commercial] ways to approach this, including with teams, but this is a decent foundation: https://www.fassforward.com/post/creating-outcomes-how-to-think-about-how-you-think   

Further resources from Anna Faherty, who co-designed the original version of this activity:  

These readings will be useful as you explore how to incorporate expansive thinking into your own routine and encourage others to do so too: