For much of my career, leading global teams in the telecoms sector, my default response to a complex problem was to lean in. If a strategy was not coming together, the accepted wisdom was to spend more hours at the desk, stare harder at the screen, and force a resolution through sheer persistence.
It is a common corporate reflex, but it rarely produces the insights we actually need.
The Four Stages of Creativity
This idea is captured well in Graham Wallas's Four Stages of Creativity, a framework from the 1920s that holds up remarkably well today. Wallas proposed that after the initial Preparation phase — gathering data, analysing the problem — we must enter a phase of Incubation. This is where conscious effort ceases and the unconscious mind takes over. To incubate effectively, you have to leave the desk.
Theory U: Travelling to the Bottom
This aligns closely with Otto Scharmer's Theory U. Theory U suggests that to lead effectively in complex situations, we have to stop simply "downloading" our past experiences and applying old solutions to new problems.
Instead, Scharmer invites us to travel down the left side of the U, letting go of our preconceived notions and corporate armour. At the bottom of this U is a space he calls Presencing — a state of deep reflection where we connect with our authentic intent.
Pathways to Clarity
The Rhythm of Hiking
The physical rhythm of walking forward occupies the body and provides a steady cadence. When we are navigating a trail, we are not trying to solve the work problem; the mind is allowed to wander, finding associations and untangling thoughts in the background.
The Sit Spot
Where hiking relies on momentum, the sit spot relies on stillness. This practice involves finding a single place in nature and simply sitting quietly, observing the environment and oneself without an agenda. Initially, the mind often rebels. Yet, if we wait, the internal noise begins to settle.
Fire and Vision Quests
A fire quest strips away the complexity of the modern world, focusing our attention entirely on the primal, elemental act of tending a flame. A vision quest goes further — an extended period of solitary immersion in nature, often with minimal provisions. It is a challenging, direct route to the bottom of the U.
Individual vs. Group Exploration
Individual exploration offers raw, unfiltered processing; there is nowhere to hide from one's own thoughts. Group exploration introduces a shared vulnerability. When we walk or sit around a fire with others who are also shedding their corporate armour, a collective sense-making occurs. Witnessing someone else let go often gives us the silent permission to do the same.
An Invitation
Taking a walk in the woods or sitting by a fire are not mere life hacks to increase productivity. They are necessary practices of giving ourselves permission to pause, to stop forcing the issue, and to create the conditions where genuine insight can surface.
If you find yourself stuck on a problem this week, resist the urge to work harder at it. Close the laptop, step outside, and see what emerges when you give yourself the space to just be.
This connects to a broader practice of slowing down and reflecting — something that matters as much for leaders as it does for organisations trying to navigate change.