We need more space for inputs and inspiration in our work places

I‘ve worked in international development for over 15 years, and have lived in Berlin for most of this time. When I moved to Washington DC for a job at the World Bank a few years ago, I was incredibly excited to be able to attend policy debates at renowned think tanks, learn from thousands of experts working in development, and to engage with so many leaders in this sector.

During my time in DC, I think I attended one single event at a think tank. Aside from a few meetings organized by my own team and events held at the Spring and Annual meetings, I rarely had the chance to listen and learn from experts from other organizations or departments.

I worked with some of the most fabulous colleagues and partners, but nearly all of us kept wishing we‘d have more time to learn and engage more with what was on offer.

Listening to external inputs and hearing different perspectives is one of the most important reality-checks for your work. What are people discussing? What issues are contentious? What are people interested in? What arguments and facts are getting traction? What lacks evidence? Which issues are linked? What inspires?

Instead, so many great work places keep staff focused on internal issues and work, and keep them so busy that even attending a brownbag lunch becomes impossible. Attending external events during work time is in many office cultures considered as „slacking off“, ie not being present at your desk. It may be included as a footnote in your objectives for learning (which you in practice never get around to).

At least in my case, I had such an interest and desire to keep listening and learning (and maintaining a constant check on reality and what else is out there). But I simply lacked time, and eventually also mental space, to attend anything or take in much.

I stopped reading journals, not to mention books, that could in any way be related to my job. I stopped following newsletters and blogs. I no longer knew who was saying what on issues that were not directly related to my work. And worst of all, I no longer knew what I thought, what my own positions were, why my work was meaningful.

Hearing and reading about what others are saying and doing, learning about what is working in practice and what this means for theory, and engaging in debates is the best way to form your own opinions. If you don‘t have this input and sounding board, it‘s difficult to know where you stand on many issues. You also forget how to use your voice. At least that was the direction I felt I was heading in. And this in the middle of one of the most happening and expert-filled cities and organizations.

A year ago, I returned to Berlin and a few months ago, left my job. It‘s been a transition, and it was what I needed. I have my voice again, and am using it. I am listening, and I know who the people are who are saying some uncomfortable truths that need to be heard, because our sector needs fixing.

And I am learning, reading, and listening again, because my physical space and mental capacity are back. I may be utterly irrelevant in terms of status and position, an absolute „outsider“. But this is a space I need and will try to protect the best I can, also in the future. For myself, and any colleagues or staff.

Everyone deserves to continue to learn and be inspired. It makes us all better at our work, and it makes our work more relevant. We need to recreate this space as a core part of our work places, and bring it back from where it is now (a periphery nice-to-have, if you have time) to where it needs to be.

Do more of what you love – to do a better job

I have over the past months tried to do some of the cliché mantra “do more of what you love”. Three things related to this blog have included reading, learning, and writing – about global health.

It feels absurd that these three simple things have made me feel guilty over the past years, despite working in global health.

Reading (heavens forbid, a whole book or even several!) has felt like a superfluous luxury, not like a necessity, for my work. But what better investment to make than to build on the shoulders of (smart) people who have had the time to look into what works (and what doesn’t), have looked at global health history, and provide different frameworks and ways to analyze global health institutions and pathways.

It’s slightly crazy that I still do all of my global health reading during my weekends, days off, or evenings. Have I felt like I’d be supported if I’d state I spent two hours reading during my workday? Have I dared to even try or ask?

Learning is a trickier one to pin down. I have the luxury of working with many people in my job – including different external partners – and each interaction and sharing of knowledge is always a learning experience. The trickier bit is to ensure this learning is connected to what I do in my work.

Am I able to integrate what I am (or my team is) learning or have learned into tackling challenges that are tasked to me to handle? Can I identify new challenges based on my learning that I am encouraged to explore? Many workplaces forget how powerful and important a learning experience is, and stifle innovation (and motivation) if this learning can not be put to use (or at least tried).

In my view, supporting a learning environment does not even mean automatically embracing higher risks or a “failure culture”. It entails asking people what they enjoy doing or would like to do (more of), and trying to integrate this into the daily grind.

Writing (publicly) is an interesting one. On the one hand, I have over the past years written a multitude of global health briefings, talking points, blogs, and contributed to reports. But I have done this on behalf of an institution, based on a given direction, culture, and also rules. I have also had specific roles to play, and expectations what I can comment on and what not. When the “not” category has included everything else other than fixing font sizes, I have realized something is very off.

Writing is such a great way to channel a thought process, and (if public), also share questions, experiences and trigger thinking and discussion. A format I have found to trigger similar thought processes and reactions is speaking publicly.

I often find it a huge shame that there are so many experts and great thinkers out there who are not able to share their thoughts or expertise. I count myself more into the category of posing questions and contributing my personal ramblings, but there are many seriously smart, eloquent people there who should be out there in the public.

Too many workplaces are unfortunately highly successful in stifling people’s creativity – and diversity. There’s simply too little time to ask or listen to what staff members thrive on, or need in order to be motivated and successful. Or even if asked, there’s too little time and support for actually doing the things we need to do. And sadly, there’s a huge amount of compartmentalization, instead of cross-learning (also externally), in most organizations. And that wonderful thing called ego and zero-sum mentality (if not me, no-one!).

My small attempt to do more of what I love and need – also to do my work well – is my current journey. I am sharing some of this journey more publicly because it not only helps me structure and share some of my thinking, but some things need to change in the way we are working – also in global health.

ps. Thanks again to everyone who has provided feedback and engaged in discussion on these issues, or is sharing experiences elsewhere!