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Investment in leadership development is growing across Latin America, yet many organisations continue to prioritise technical expertise over the behavioural capabilities required for high performance and sustainable growth. Across Latin America, organisations are investing more than ever in leadership development. Companies expanding across Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and Argentina are operating in increasingly complex, globalised, and fast-moving environments. As markets become more competitive and organisational structures grow more sophisticated, leadership capability has moved from being a human resources concern to a strategic priority. As a result, budgets for coaching, executive education, and management training continue to increase year after year. However, a critical question remains. Are organisations investing in the leadership capabilities that truly drive performance, or are they reinforcing outdated models that ultimately increase cost, turnover, and operational risk? For senior leaders, this is not a theoretical discussion. Leadership quality directly influences retention, productivity, innovation, and organisational culture. When leadership capability does not evolve at the same pace as business growth, the financial consequences become measurable. Research from the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report identifies emotional intelligence, resilience, analytical thinking, and social influence among the most critical skills required for the future workforce. Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends research similarly shows that organisations with more human-centred leadership models consistently outperform peers in engagement, adaptability, and long-term performance outcomes. The evidence across multiple studies is consistent. Leadership capability matters. The more important question for organisations operating in Latin America today is not whether to invest in leadership, but which leadership capabilities actually drive sustainable performance. Growth in LATAM Is Increasing Leadership Risk, Not Only Opportunity Latin America is undergoing rapid transformation across multiple dimensions. Digital adoption has accelerated significantly, regional companies are scaling into multinational operations, and global organisations are expanding across Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking markets. Nearshoring trends are increasing investment in Mexico and Central America, while hybrid and remote work structures are changing how teams are managed across borders. Growth creates opportunity, but it also exposes capability gaps that were less visible in smaller or more localised organisations. Many companies continue to promote leaders primarily based on technical performance. The strongest engineer becomes the engineering manager, and the highest-performing salesperson becomes the regional director. While this approach rewards competence, it often overlooks the relational, behavioural, and cultural skills required to lead people effectively at scale. As organisations grow, these gaps become increasingly expensive. Replacing an employee can cost between 1.5 and 2 times their annual salary, and more than 200% for senior roles, according to workforce cost studies on turnover and retention. Gallup research also shows that managers account for at least 70% of the variance in employee engagement , directly linking leadership quality to productivity, retention, and performance outcomes. In fast-growth markets, leadership capability is therefore not only a talent issue. It is a cost issue, a performance issue, and increasingly a strategic risk. Cultural Context: Authority Works, Until It Doesn’t Any analysis of leadership development in LATAM must consider cultural context. Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions research shows that many Latin American countries score relatively high on Power Distance , meaning hierarchy and authority are generally more accepted than in Northern European cultures. In practice, hierarchical structures can provide clarity, speed, and stability, particularly in fast-growth environments where decision-making needs to be efficient. Authority-based leadership models often work well when organisations are small, when roles are clearly defined, or when operational pressure is high. However, these same structures can limit psychological safety, reduce upward feedback, and discourage innovation when organisations become larger and more complex. Google’s Project Aristotle research identified psychological safety as the strongest predictor of high-performing teams, ahead of experience, seniority, or technical ability. When employees do not feel safe to speak up, challenge ideas, or admit mistakes, performance declines even in technically strong teams. For organisations operating across multiple countries, cultures, and reporting structures, the ability to create trust and open communication becomes a critical leadership skill. The challenge for LATAM organisations is not to remove hierarchy, but to evolve leadership capability within existing cultural realities. The Real Skills Gap: Technical Strength, Relational Weakness Leadership programmes in the region still tend to focus heavily on technical and knowledge-based development. Common investments include strategy training, compliance education, executive coaching, and MBA-style programmes. These interventions are valuable, but they often fail to address the behavioural capabilities required for modern leadership. The World Economic Forum continues to highlight resilience, emotional intelligence, and social influence as future-critical skills for leaders operating in complex environments. In rapidly scaling organisations across LATAM, leaders are frequently promoted because of their ability to deliver results, but they are not always equipped to manage conflict, give feedback, lead diverse teams, or navigate cultural differences. The result is a predictable pattern that includes burnout, disengagement, high turnover, reduced innovation, and increased HR escalation. Leadership development that ignores relational capability does not only limit culture. It creates hidden operational cost. Inclusion Is Not a Social Initiative, It Is a Performance Driver Inclusive leadership is often framed as a cultural or social objective rather than a performance variable. However, research consistently shows that o rganisations with inclusive cultures achieve stronger engagement , better collaboration, and improved financial results. Human-centred leadership practices are associated with stronger retention, improved trust, and more consistent performance outcomes. This becomes particularly relevant when considering identity-informed leadership capability, including gender-aware leadership practices. Women experience significantly higher burnout rates in environments where leadership does not account for wellbeing, flexibility, and cultural expectations. Organisations that invest in diversity without investing in leadership capability often see limited impact. Inclusion becomes effective only when leaders have the behavioural skills required to create psychological safety, trust, and sustainable performance. Identity-informed leadership does not weaken authority. It strengthens performance by improving retention, engagement, and long-term productivity. Leadership Cannot Be Developed Only at the Top Another structural challenge across many organisations in LATAM is that leadership development is often concentrated at the executive level, while mid-level leaders receive limited support. Deloitte research shows that organisations require leadership capability distributed across multiple levels rather than concentrated only at the top. Mid-level leaders frequently manage cross-border teams, global reporting structures, cultural differences, and high operational pressure. These roles have a direct impact on employee experience, yet they often receive the least formal development. Without adequate support, mid-level leaders become bottlenecks rather than multipliers. Organisations that perform consistently well tend to build leadership ecosystems, not isolated programmes. From Training to Capability: The Create Space Approach. High-performing organisations are increasingly moving away from one-off workshops toward integrated leadership ecosystems. Human-centred leadership models focus on behavioural change, cultural awareness, and psychological safety rather than only knowledge transfer. The Create Space Methodology develops leadership capability through four core elements: awareness, compassion, connection, and agency. Together, these elements support behavioural change, inclusive culture, and sustainable performance across global teams. Programmes built on this approach typically combine leadership training, inclusion education, community-based learning, and culture insights in order to create measurable impact across multiple levels of the organisation. The objective is not awareness alone. The objective is to cultivate the conditions that allow individuals and teams to perform at their highest level. Book a Strategy Conversation If your organisation is investing in leadership development across Mexico or LATAM, the key question is not whether to invest, but how to invest effectively. We Create Space supports organisations across the region to build human-centred leadership capability, inclusive culture, and sustainable performance through programmes designed for the realities of Latin American workplaces. To explore how the Creating Space methodology, leadership programmes, or women-centred inclusion training could support your organisation, book a strategy call with our Mexico-based team. hello@wecreatespace.co https://wecreatespace.co https://wecreatespace.co/contact

Why human-centred leadership is becoming the defining capability of high-performing organisations and how to go about building those important communication skills. Emotional Intelligence for Modern Leaders. Leadership has always been emotionally demanding. Yet the emotional expectations placed on leaders today are significantly different from those of even a decade ago. Workplaces are on the whole more diverse. Teams are more distributed. Organisational structures are flatter, faster, and more complex. Employees increasingly expect not only competence from their leaders, but humanity - the ability to listen, to understand context, to navigate difficult conversations with maturity, and to build environments where people feel psychologically safe enough to contribute their best work. In this context, emotional intelligence has moved from a “nice-to-have” leadership trait to a core organisational capability. This shift is not merely cultural. It is structural. Research suggests that manager behaviour accounts for roughly 70% of the variance in employee engagement . When leaders demonstrate empathy, clarity, and self-regulation, teams are more likely to remain engaged, collaborative, and resilient. When they do not, even highly skilled teams struggle to perform consistently. Emotional intelligence therefore sits at the intersection of culture, leadership effectiveness, and organisational performance . Understanding how to develop it - and how to embed it into leadership practice - is becoming one of the most important conversations in modern leadership development. The Cultural Context of Leadership Has Changed. Leadership does not operate in a vacuum. It evolves in response to the social and organisational context in which it exists. Over the past decade, several major shifts have reshaped how leadership is experienced inside organisations: - Increased attention to psychological safety and employee wellbeing - Greater expectations around inclusive leadership and belonging - More open conversations around mental health and burnout - Rapidly changing workplace structures , including hybrid and remote work - A workforce that increasingly expects transparency, empathy, and accountability These shifts have not simply added new responsibilities for leaders. They have fundamentally changed the nature of leadership itself. Traditional models of authority often emphasised decisiveness, expertise, and control. Modern leadership increasingly emphasises facilitation, emotional awareness, and relational intelligence . In other words, leadership is becoming less about directing people and more about designing environments where people can perform at their best . At We Create Space, we often describe this as creating the conditions for contribution - a principle central to the Creating Space Methodology , which examines how leadership behaviour, team dynamics and organisational systems interact to shape culture. It is about shaping the cultural conditions that determine whether people feel able to speak up, share ideas, admit mistakes, and collaborate effectively. And this is where emotional intelligence becomes critical. Psychological Safety: The Foundation of High-Performing Teams. One of the most important concepts in modern organisational research is psychological safety . Organisational scholar Amy Edmondson defines psychological safety as the shared belief that a team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking . In simple terms, it means people feel able to speak openly without fear of humiliation or punishment. In environments where psychological safety is high, employees are more likely to: - Share ideas and challenge assumptions - Admit mistakes early - Ask for help when needed - Offer constructive feedback - Experiment with new approaches A Google study found that psychological safety was the single most important factor in high-performing teams . Yet psychological safety does not emerge automatically. It is created through leadership behaviour. Employees continuously observe how leaders respond to mistakes, feedback, disagreement, conflict, and uncertainty. These everyday moments communicate powerful signals about what is safe to say - and what is not. Psychological safety can be understood as “a culture of rewarded vulnerability” , where people feel able to contribute meaningfully and operate in an “offensive mode of performance,” rather than constantly protecting themselves. When vulnerability is rewarded rather than punished, employees are far more likely to bring their full intelligence and creativity to their work. Emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in making this possible. A useful reflection for leaders might be this: When someone challenges your idea in a meeting, what does your immediate reaction signal to the rest of the room? What Emotional Intelligence Actually Means. The term emotional intelligence has become widely used in leadership development, but it is sometimes misunderstood. Psychologist Daniel Goleman describes emotional intelligence as "a set of interrelated capabilities that shape how individuals understand and manage emotions - both their own and those of others" . Five core components are commonly identified: 1. Self-Awareness The ability to recognise one’s own emotional state and understand how it influences behaviour. 2. Self-Regulation The capacity to manage emotional reactions rather than responding impulsively. 3. Empathy The ability to understand the emotional experiences of others and respond appropriately. 4. Relationship Management The skill of navigating interpersonal dynamics with clarity, respect, and constructive communication. 5. Motivation The ability to remain purpose-driven and resilient even in the face of challenge. These capabilities are not abstract personality traits. They are practical leadership skills that shape everyday behaviour - how meetings are run, how feedback is given, and how conflict is addressed. Therefore, emotional intelligence is not simply about being “nice.” It is about developing the awareness and maturity required to lead people effectively. Emotional Intelligence as a Leadership Multiplier. One useful way to think about emotional intelligence is as a multiplier of leadership impact . Technical expertise and strategic thinking remain important. However, without emotional intelligence, even highly capable leaders struggle to mobilise teams effectively. When emotional intelligence is present, several organisational benefits become more visible. 1. Better Innovation and Problem-Solving Teams are far more likely to challenge assumptions and share ideas when they feel psychologically safe. Emotionally intelligent leaders encourage curiosity rather than defensiveness, allowing teams to surface risks earlier and explore creative solutions. 2. Higher Engagement and Retention Employees are more likely to remain engaged when they feel respected and heard. Research consistently shows that employees do not leave organisations as often as they leave poor leadership relationships . 3. Stronger Decision-Making Emotionally intelligent leaders create space for dissenting perspectives. This improves decision quality by ensuring that alternative viewpoints are considered. 4. Greater Adaptability Organisations that treat mistakes as learning opportunities are able to adapt faster. In complex environments, the ability to learn quickly often becomes a competitive advantage. Together, these dynamics reinforce an important insight: emotional intelligence is not only about interpersonal relationships. It is about organisational performance . Leadership Behaviours That Build Emotional Intelligence in Teams. Developing emotional intelligence is not simply an internal process. It must translate into visible leadership behaviours. Below are five practices that consistently strengthen emotionally intelligent leadership cultures. 1. Executive Culture and Compassionate Leadership Leadership culture is not defined by statements on a website. It is defined by behaviour. Employees watch closely for signals about what is truly valued within an organisation. Leaders who demonstrate fairness, availability, accountability, and collaboration create environments where these behaviours become normalised. Compassionate leadership does not mean avoiding difficult conversations. It means approaching those conversations with clarity, respect, and accountability . Research suggests that inclusive leadership behaviours - such as inviting input, acknowledging different perspectives, and modelling humility - directly contribute to psychological safety and team innovation . 2. Executive Modelling: What Gets Modelled Gets Mimicked Leadership behaviour spreads through organisations quickly. When senior leaders demonstrate curiosity, accountability, and emotional awareness, these behaviours tend to cascade throughout the organisation. Conversely, when leaders respond defensively or dismiss feedback, these behaviours often become embedded in the broader culture. Simple practices can make a significant difference. For example, adopting a meeting structure based on the “three A’s” : - Ask: Seek alternative perspectives or disconfirming evidence - Acknowledge: Recognise contributions from others - Account: Clarify next steps and responsibilities These behaviours signal that leadership is open, reflective, and collaborative. 3. Building a Speak-Up Culture Many organisations claim to value open communication. In practice, however, employees often hesitate to challenge leadership decisions. Emotionally intelligent leadership actively protects constructive dissent. Leaders can strengthen speak-up cultures by: - Asking for opposing viewpoints - Rotating facilitation roles in meetings - Tracking which voices are heard regularly - Encouraging respectful disagreement When teams believe that disagreement is safe, organisations benefit from more robust conversations and better decisions. 4. Reframing Mistakes as Learning Moments Mistakes are inevitable in complex organisations. What matters is how leaders respond to them. In psychologically unsafe environments, mistakes are often hidden. This delays learning and increases organisational risk. Emotionally intelligent leaders instead treat mistakes as data . Practices such as blameless post-mortems , reflection sessions, and transparent leadership accountability allow teams to learn quickly without creating a culture of fear. A simple leadership phrase can make a significant difference: “I got that wrong - here’s what I learned.” When leaders demonstrate humility in this way, it signals that growth matters more than perfection. 5. Sustainable Leadership Leadership roles can be emotionally demanding. Leaders frequently support teams through stress, conflict, and uncertainty. Without appropriate boundaries, this can lead to compassion fatigue . Emotionally intelligent leadership therefore includes the ability to balance care with clarity. Some helpful practices include: - Protecting reflective time in the calendar - Establishing boundaries around availability - Encouraging peer consultation among leaders - Signposting appropriate wellbeing resources Leadership is not about absorbing everyone else’s emotions. It is about creating systems that support healthy work environments. Practical Practices Leaders Can Apply Immediately. Developing emotional intelligence does not require complex training programmes. Often it begins with small behavioural shifts. Here are several practices leaders can begin experimenting with immediately. Practice 1: Pause Before Responding When confronted with difficult feedback or disagreement, pause briefly before responding. This moment of reflection allows the emotional reaction to settle, enabling a more thoughtful response. Practice 2: Invite Alternative Views Regularly ask questions such as: “What perspective might we be missing?”“Who sees this differently?” These prompts signal that diverse viewpoints are welcome. Practice 3: Track Participation Pay attention to whose voices are heard in meetings. If certain individuals remain silent, actively invite their contributions. Practice 4: Acknowledge Courage Recognise employees who share mistakes, offer feedback, or challenge assumptions constructively. Positive reinforcement encourages these behaviours to become cultural norms. Practice 5: Model Vulnerability Share learning moments openly. When leaders demonstrate humility and growth, teams are more likely to do the same. The Future of Leadership Is Relational. For much of the twentieth century, leadership development focused primarily on strategic thinking and technical expertise. These capabilities remain important. But they are no longer sufficient on their own. Modern organisations operate within complex, rapidly changing environments where collaboration, adaptability, and innovation are essential. These capabilities depend heavily on human relationships - trust, communication, empathy, and psychological safety. In this sense, emotional intelligence is not simply a personal skill. It is a systemic leadership capability . Leaders shape the emotional climate of their teams every day through the way they respond to challenge, handle uncertainty, and engage with others. Small behavioural signals accumulate over time, eventually forming the culture of the organisation. And culture, more than strategy alone, often determines whether organisations succeed or struggle. A Reflection for Leaders. If emotional intelligence shapes the environments leaders create, then one simple question becomes useful: What behaviour will your team see more deliberately from you next week? Will it be curiosity? Humility? Clarity? Encouragement? Leadership culture is not built through occasional training sessions. It is built through everyday behaviour. Each interaction becomes an opportunity to reinforce the kind of environment we want our teams to experience. Final Thoughts. Emotional intelligence is sometimes described as a “soft skill.” In reality, it is one of the most structurally important leadership capabilities organisations can develop. When leaders cultivate emotional awareness, regulate their reactions, and create environments where people feel safe to contribute, organisations become more innovative, more resilient, and more sustainable. At We Create Space , our leadership programmes, retreats and team learning experiences are designed to help organisations build these capabilities intentionally. Through human-centred leadership development, psychological safety practices, and culture insights, we support leaders in designing environments where people and performance can thrive together. Because ultimately, leadership is not only about results. It is about the environments we create - and the people those environments allow to flourish. While you're here... We Create Space is a global learning platform and consultancy focused on workplace talent-development and community-building. Our human-centred approach creates space for people and organisations to thrive through leadership development, team learning experiences, data-backed belonging practices and bespoke content . Learn more We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Visionary leadership isn’t about belief systems, rituals, or metaphysics. But it does require something deeper: the capacity to move beyond ego and orient leadership toward meaning, responsibility, and long-term impact. Do Visionary Leaders Need to Be Spiritual? Let’s begin clearly: no. Visionary leaders do not need to be spiritual. They do not need to meditate at dawn, attend silent retreats, read mystical texts, or identify with any particular religious or metaphysical tradition. Spiritual belief is not a prerequisite for visionary leadership. But what is required is more demanding - and far more interesting. Visionary leadership requires the capacity to transcend ego, to orient decisions beyond personal gain, and to act in service of futures one may never personally inhabit. Whether we describe that orientation as spirituality, systems thinking, moral philosophy, or existential responsibility is, in many ways, a question of language. The developmental demand underneath it remains the same. Spirituality, Leadership and the Language We Use. When people hear the word “spiritual,” they often picture incense, meditation cushions, quiet rituals, perhaps a retreat somewhere warm. I say that with genuine affection - I have incense burning as I write this and I've organised many retreats in the past . Many spiritual traditions have influenced my own thinking, even though I don’t subscribe to any single doctrine. But I am certain that spirituality, at its core, has never been about props. It has always been about orientation: how we relate to meaning, impermanence, and responsibility beyond the self. The aesthetics are optional. The inner work is not. This distinction matters because the language we use can sometimes obscure the deeper developmental work leadership requires. The moment spirituality enters leadership conversations, some people lean in while others instinctively lean away. Yet if we strip away the labels, what visionary leadership actually demands is something that most philosophical traditions - spiritual or secular - have been exploring for centuries: the ability to move beyond the immediate needs of the self and consider the long-term wellbeing of the whole. Viktor Frankl, writing after surviving the Holocaust, argued that human beings are fundamentally driven by meaning . When leaders orient themselves around meaning rather than recognition, their time horizon expands. Immediate validation becomes less compelling than lasting contribution. This shift is not necessarily spiritual, but it is deeply existential. When Leadership Is Driven by Survival. My own exploration of this question began not with theory but with burnout . For years I was rewarded for speed, responsiveness, strategic thinking and visible impact. From the outside, it looked like effective leadership. Internally, however, I was operating from urgency - a subtle but persistent activation of the nervous system that blurred the line between dedication and compulsion. Burnout was not simply exhaustion. It was identity destabilisation. The version of myself that had been validated through productivity was no longer sustainable. Recovery required confronting an uncomfortable truth: much of my leadership had been driven by fear of irrelevance, by over-responsibility, and by the need to prove value. None of these are inherently malicious motivations. They are profoundly human ones. But they are also ego-protective. And ego-protective leadership, even when well-intentioned, is rarely visionary. Ego does not always present as arrogance. More often it appears as hyper-functioning, control, reactivity, or the inability to rest. Many leaders recognise this pattern: the feeling that if they slow down, everything might fall apart. The irony, of course, is that systems built on urgency eventually do fall apart - because they are structurally unsustainable. Awareness: The Hidden Skill of Leadership. Research into emotional intelligence helps illuminate why this matters. Daniel Goleman identifies self-awareness and self-regulation as foundational leadership capacities . Yet these are not simply interpersonal skills; they are developmental thresholds. Developmental psychologist Robert Kegan describes leadership maturity as the ability to move from being subject to our internal narratives to being able to observe them . In other words, leaders must learn to recognise the stories driving their behaviour rather than unconsciously acting them out. Many spiritual traditions cultivate this same capacity. Eckhart Tolle famously wrote that “awareness is the greatest agent for change.” Regardless of one’s views on spirituality, the psychological principle holds: the ability to notice one’s internal reactions without immediately identifying with them changes how we act. Different traditions describe this ability differently. Psychology calls it meta-cognition. Systems theory might call it perspective. Spiritual traditions often call it presence. The vocabulary varies. The underlying skill is remarkably similar. Developing Presence and Awareness in Leadership. If awareness is one of the core capacities of visionary leadership, the natural question becomes: how do we develop it? For many leaders, awareness begins with learning to pause. Not to escape decision-making or responsibility, but to notice what is happening internally before reacting to it. Several practices can help cultivate this capacity - including reflective journaling, coaching conversations, therapy, and meditation. One simple starting point is a short presence practice used in many contemplative traditions: A simple awareness practice: Sit comfortably and bring attention to your breathing. Notice thoughts or emotions arising without trying to change them. When your attention wanders, gently bring it back to the breath. After a few minutes, ask yourself: What is currently driving my behaviour - urgency, fear, ego, or purpose? Even two or three minutes of deliberate awareness can create space between reaction and decision. And that space is often where leadership begins to change. The Creating Space Cycle. In our leadership work at We Create Space , we often describe this developmental shift through a simple cycle that helps leaders move from unconscious reaction toward intentional leadership. Awareness - noticing the internal narratives shaping our behaviour. Compassion - understanding those patterns without judgement. Connection - recognising how our leadership affects others. Agency - consciously choosing how we want to lead. Many leaders first encounter this cycle during periods of disruption or burnout. But over time it becomes a practical framework for developing more intentional leadership. Visionary leadership often begins with something deceptively simple: learning to notice. The Leadership Shift from Ego to Stewardship. The real developmental shift in visionary leadership is the move from ego to stewardship. Survival leadership asks a familiar set of questions: How do I stay relevant? How do I protect my position? How do I prove my value? Visionary leadership asks something quite different: What am I building? Who will benefit from this long after I’m gone? What responsibility do I hold toward the future? This shift fundamentally changes the way leaders make decisions. Instead of reacting to short-term pressure, they begin designing systems with longevity in mind. Instead of protecting identity, they begin protecting the integrity of the system. Architecture becomes a useful metaphor here. A building that appears impressive but cannot withstand pressure is poorly designed. The same is true of leadership. When ego becomes the primary structural support, collapse is inevitable. When awareness, responsibility and long-term thinking become part of the design, resilience increases. The Role Spiritual Traditions Can Play. Spiritual traditions can be powerful training grounds for these capacities — not because they offer mystical answers, but because many of them cultivate humility, patience and perspective. Stoic philosophy encouraged daily reflection on mortality and impermanence . Buddhist traditions emphasise non-attachment and awareness. Christian contemplative practices explore humility and surrender. Each of these traditions, in different ways, invites people to step outside the immediate demands of ego and consider the larger context of their lives. But spirituality is only one pathway. Leaders can develop the same capacities through therapy, philosophy, coaching, systems thinking, reflective practice or community accountability. The requirement is not adherence to a belief system. The requirement is developmental growth. For the avoidance of doubt, I am not suggesting that quarterly forecasting should be replaced with collective chanting. Finance teams can relax. Visionary leadership still requires financial discipline, operational clarity and measurable outcomes. Vision without structure is unstable. Even incense burns better in a container. The Risk of Spiritual Bypass. It is also important to acknowledge that spirituality can sometimes be misused. When unexamined, it can become a way of avoiding accountability or romanticising suffering. Leaders who rely solely on intuition without grounding their decisions in evidence risk creating fragile organisations. Visionary leadership therefore requires integration. Depth must be paired with structure. Awareness must translate into design. Ethical intention must be supported by governance, feedback loops and measurable impact. Spirit without system becomes abstraction. System without depth becomes extraction. Leadership architecture exists in the space where the two meet. Leadership as an Existential Responsibility. Ultimately, visionary leadership is less about spirituality than it is about existential responsibility. Organisations do not exist in isolation. They are embedded within social, economic and ecological systems. The decisions leaders make ripple outward - affecting employees, communities and future generations. Hannah Arendt distinguished between power and domination , arguing that genuine power arises from legitimacy rather than coercion. Legitimacy emerges when leaders align their actions with shared values and collective wellbeing. This alignment requires ongoing self-reflection. Leaders must ask not only whether they are succeeding, but how and at what cost. In a culture increasingly focused on visibility and performance, this kind of reflection can feel countercultural. Yet it is precisely what allows leaders to move beyond survival thinking and into long-term design. So, Do Visionary Leaders Need to Be Spiritual? No. Visionary leaders do not need to be spiritual in a doctrinal sense. They do not need to adopt any particular philosophy, ritual or belief system. But they do need to cultivate the capacities that many spiritual traditions - at their best - seek to develop: awareness, humility, patience and responsibility beyond the self. Whether we call that spiritual maturity, psychological development or leadership evolution is less important than whether we embody it. The real distinction is not between spiritual and non-spiritual leaders. It is between leaders driven primarily by ego and those oriented toward the future. If visionary leadership asks us to build beyond ourselves, then the essential question is not about incense, rituals or belief systems. It is about orientation. Are we leading to preserve ego, or to serve something larger? The answer to that question ultimately determines the architecture we leave behind. Reflection Questions for Visionary Leaders. Leaders interested in developing this capacity might explore questions such as: - What internal narratives tend to drive my leadership behaviour under pressure? - When do I notice myself moving into urgency or over-functioning? - What would leadership look like if it were driven less by proving value and more by stewarding the future? - Where might slowing down actually improve the system I’m trying to lead? Michael Stephens (he/they) is a consultant designing human-centred systems rooted in transformation and long-term growth. He works at the level of culture and relationships, examining how leadership is experienced across identity, wellbeing and performance. As Founder of We Create Space , he partners with global organisations to design leadership ecosystems that strengthen capability, deepen belonging and support sustainable success. While you're here... We Create Space is a global learning platform and consultancy focused on workplace talent-development and community-building. Our human-centred approach creates space for people and organisations to thrive through leadership development, team learning experiences, data-backed belonging practices and bespoke content . Learn more We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Thokozani Mbwana shares how creating space for grief (and joy) can sustain us through tough times. Dear Reader,  This article invites you to explore what cradling grief and joy simultaneously looks like to you , through my own anecdotes. My hope with this offering for you is that hope is found, somewhere between these words. Thokozani xxx One summer’s day towards the end of 2024, I looked around my tiny, city apartment, suffocated by the pressure of grief that I hadn’t yet acknowledged. I sold everything I owned that day, took a flight back to my home city and crashed with my parents before my “next” adventure. A few months later, I was on a plane, arriving in Tokyo. I took a job, on a whim because that’s what I do when I’m sad. My life could start again, but different this time. I know Japan hates to see a plane with me coming, because 10 years ago I made the same pilgrimage to ease my sad little heart then. The thing with time is that 10 years is enough time to forget the lessons of grief. Especially, when your mission in the first place is to never experience that kind of grief again.  The unfortunate thing about all my dreams and delusions of leaving every painful memory of the last few years back home in South Africa was just that, dreams and delusions. My griefs packed their bags too and unbeknownst to me, took the same flight. The grief of ending my PhD pursuit after losing my supervisor and mentor to cancer, the grief of ending a long-term relationship that I thought would be forever, the grief of countless professional self-esteem hits I faced in difficult work environments, the grief of losing friends in the process of finding myself again. It felt like the last 5 years of my life was a long, drawn out battle, of which I lost at every phase of attack. Those battle wounds didn’t heal enroute, they only deepened in a different part of the world. I am a firm believer of the old adage “the only way out is through”. After running away from my griefs, and meeting them again on my first night in Tokyo, I can unequivocally say, with 100% certainty, that you need to face your grief before it faces you.  For the last year I have been formulating my own understanding regarding what griefwork means to me and more specifically what tangible actions I can take to walk through life with my grief, because I understand now that the grief really doesn't go away. We learn to live with it, live through it and around it. Some days we have ample space to accommodate it. Some days it annoys us and we snap at it. Some days we sit silently together and watch a movie. But it’s there. Sometimes big, sometimes small, but always there.  Before this journey, I definitely imagined grief to be an inconvenient guest in life’s big things. Loss of loved ones, loss of various forms of love, loss of financial security. Big things. My silly little life, with its silly little problems, didn't really read to me as requiring griefwork- despite the roots being glaringly obvious. Maybe I needed to be more consistent with my journaling, sure.  Maybe I needed to go back to therapy, definitely. But griefwork? I rationalised not seeking out or acknowledging the grief because life is joyous and vast and who wants to spend the short glimmers of hope we have in our day to day to make space for grief?  But that’s the thing about grief, it is ever present, whether we acknowledge it or not. It might be an unwelcome guest but it requires eventual participation from those it encounters. Simply by living, we consent to grief.  In working through my own grief I realised something: I was completely ill equipped. I was terrified to own my own grief because then I’d have to move through it and how do I do something I’ve spent most of my adult life running away from?  After what felt like endless back and forth with myself I decided the only way I could navigate this was to open myself up to my small daily griefs and to learn how to hold them, love them and nurture them until they are ready to roam around on their own. Essentially microdosing the small grief  to prepare me for  the big grief in general. For example, think of a time you were excited at the sun shining. It finally feels like the seasons are changing. You open the front door to feel the air and realise that thick coat season is officially over. You decided to walk to the corner store and get an ice cream, that vanilla flavored one that reminds you of your childhood. You haven’t had it in years but you recognise the wrapping. You buy it, walk out the store and rip open the packet as you find your bearings to the nearest park. Alas, the flavour isn’t quite what you imagined. They must have changed the recipe. so you chuck it in the bin and go home to continue your day. Did you grieve the joy and nostalgia you would have experienced had the ice cream been the flavour you imagined? Did you grieve the extra 15 minutes you would have spent outside, enjoying the sun had you been able to finish the ice cream? This to me, is the necessity of griefwork. Grieving the small, insignificant stuff too. This is not to say we need to critically assess every hope we have for every moment we’ll experience and the grief that might come from that. In the above scenario it’s very easy to imagine that the sunny day was still a good day albeit with the minor inconvenience of the not-quite-vanilla ice cream. But in the same way we champion exercising the joy muscles (more on this later), I believe that exercising the small-grief muscles equips us to face the big grief in general  when it comes knocking.  I think we have gotten really good as a collective at recognising that uncomfortable and challenging feelings need to be felt, especially in the context of anger/rage and sadness. But what about your daily grief? Do you make the same space for it as you do your frustrations? Your anxieties? Your sorrows?  My ask for the griefwork is to accept it in your daily practice of accepting things. We accept the weather for the day. We accept that we burnt the toast. We accept we’re running a little late for work. In all those moments, we might sigh or cuss, we might take a deep breath, we might recenter ourselves but we keep going anyway. Add grief to the rotation of things you accept in your daily life. Take a moment to express it, to feel it, to acknowledge it, to breathe through it and then keep going. I also believe that in order to effectively do the griefwork we must create space for joyseeking. Not in a way that is superficial or feels counterintuitive to the state of it all (world politics, the economy, the environment, our own personal life worries and stresses) but in a way that gives space to remember our humanity, both in the mundane and the beyond. I’d define my own journey with joyseeking as doing things that are good for me against my will and specifically when I want it the least. I don’t want to take a walk outside and enjoy a crisp breeze for the sake of my mental health when I’m stressed about work deadlines, and family matters that I can’t effectively engage in because I’m thousands of kilometres away from home. Yet here I am, taking that walk outside anyway and enjoying that crisp breeze instead of staring at the family group chat knowing that everyone is still asleep and can’t report back. The birds are chirping on my side of the world so, I’ll take the walk and see the moon still in the sky as the sun is rising. I’ll greet my elderly neighbours who have long since known the secret to maintaining some semblance of sense is a 5am walk every day for the rest of your life. I’ll look at the colour of the sky that’s different than it was yesterday and take a picture to send to my sister later. I’ll take pictures of the plum blossoms that are finally blooming to send to my friend who loves anything and everything ume  in the same way I do. I’ll see the murder of crows I’m convinced recognise and claim me, perched in their favourite tree and wave as they caw.  By the end of my morning walk, the knot in my chest has loosened slightly. I’m holding onto little treasures in the form of pictures to share throughout the day as my loved ones wake up in their various timezones. I eat my breakfast with fervor as I think of the old man who greets me with his cute elderly dog in its pink jacket and how I was able to maintain our conversation in Japanese for a little longer than last time. The knot might gradually loosen as I go on about my day, but it might tighten back up too. After all, the deadlines will be found when I get into the office and the group chat will relay the stressful news by the end of my day.  But honestly, I think all the joy I sought along my walk enables me to fortify myself, to prepare myself a little more, or a little better for when the hard stuff comes. So yes, if it means I need to give my day a rating out of 10 and it can’t be below 7 if at least 3 good things have happened then that’s what I’ll do to stop myself from the catastrophising spiral. If it means I am excited by a new seasonal flavour of my favourite treat getting released in my local corner store, so be it. If it’s the silly goose memes I spent 3 hours making to send to my sister whilst she slept, so be it.  So, my offering to you is this; if you feel the inclination to explore griefwork/joyseeking newly or differently (to what you’re doing or have done), I invite you to start with asking yourself these questions and feel your way around what kind of answers would best suit your life and capacity as it exists now. What if I microdosed my grief by letting the mundane “hurts” of the day linger just a little longer? What would that look like and feel like to me? What if I thought of the things I am grateful for at the end of the day and I just so happened to place the small griefs beside them? Would that lighten my worries? What if I allowed myself to be affected by it all, yet still committed to continue to seek joy because the time will pass, regardless? What would that look like in my day to day life? I say all of this to say, I think in the times we live in right now it’s okay to be scared. It’s okay to be frozen in fear. It’s okay to feel held stiff by what our collective and individual futures may be. But the future will come regardless. Griefwork and joyseeking to me, are necessary tools to prepare us for the other side of “the only way is through”. We need to remember that it is essential to our individual and collective futures that we are sufficiently replenished to the best of our abilities and capabilities. I believe accessing the grief and exercising the joy are necessary tools for us to use as we live through this chapter in our current history, and in our own personal lives. Thokozani Mbwana (he/they) is a nosey researcher by day and an Ancestor-summoning poet by night. His work explores existing and becoming and the murky confusion that lies between. As a facilitator, cultural worker and writer, Thokozani chooses to navigate his work from a place of healing. He is the author of The Sunflower Faces East At Dawn (2022), Agender Daydreams (2022) and A Modest Mahogany Table (2024). While you're here... We Create Space is a global learning platform and consultancy focused on workplace talent-development and community-building. Our human-centred approach creates space for people and organisations to thrive through leadership development, team learning experiences, data-backed belonging practices and bespoke content . Learn more We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Why awareness, relational intelligence, and human-centred leadership are becoming essential in a complex and rapidly changing world. Leadership is evolving. Across industries and sectors, organisations are facing a level of complexity and uncertainty that would have been difficult to imagine even a decade ago. Technological disruption, economic volatility, shifting expectations around work and wellbeing, and increasing pressure to build inclusive and sustainable cultures are reshaping what leadership actually requires. In response, many leaders are beginning to realise that traditional models of leadership are no longer sufficient on their own. For much of the past century, leadership was frequently defined through authority, expertise, and control. Leaders were expected to provide answers, establish direction, and ensure execution. Stability was the goal, and leadership success was often measured through efficiency, performance, and scale. But today’s leadership challenges rarely arrive in neat, solvable forms. They are often systemic, relational, and evolving. They involve competing priorities, incomplete information, and human dynamics that cannot simply be managed through authority. In this environment, a different kind of leadership is emerging - one that is less focused on commanding direction and more focused on shaping conditions. This is where the idea of Visionary Leadership  becomes particularly relevant. Visionary leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about creating the conditions where better answers can emerge. The Changing Context of Leadership. Leadership has always been shaped by its historical context. The leadership models that dominated the late twentieth century were largely designed for environments defined by stability, hierarchy, and predictable growth. Organisations were structured around clear reporting lines, and decision-making authority typically sat with a relatively small group of senior leaders. Today, however, organisations operate in a fundamentally different environment. One defining feature of the current moment is the growing prevalence of burnout and workplace fatigue. Global research from Gallup continues to show that employee engagement and wellbeing remain fragile across many industries, with managers often reporting some of the highest levels of stress and emotional exhaustion. Leadership roles increasingly involve navigating human challenges such as mental health, conflict, and uncertainty alongside operational responsibilities. At the same time, technological disruption is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. The rapid development of artificial intelligence and automation is transforming how decisions are made, how work is organised, and what kinds of skills organisations value. The World Economic Forum identifies leadership, resilience, emotional intelligence, and social influence among the most important capabilities for organisations navigating the future of work. Another defining characteristic of the 2020s is growing social and cultural polarisation. Many workplaces have become microcosms of wider societal tensions around identity, politics, and values. Leaders are increasingly asked to facilitate conversations and decisions that involve deeply held perspectives and emotional complexity. Finally, trust in institutions and leadership itself has declined across many societies. The Edelman Trust Barometer consistently highlights widening gaps between organisational messaging and employee experience. People are paying closer attention not only to what organisations say, but to how leaders behave and how decisions are actually made. Taken together, these dynamics create a leadership environment that is significantly more complex than in previous decades. Technical expertise and authority alone are no longer sufficient. Leaders increasingly need the ability to understand systems, navigate ambiguity, and build cultures of trust and collaboration. These capabilities sit at the heart of Visionary Leadership. Research from organisations such as the World Economic Forum, Gallup, and McKinsey consistently highlights that the leadership capabilities most needed today are increasingly human rather than purely technical. WCS Resource: Top 10 Training Programmes for Community Building & Leadership. Seeing Beneath the Surface. Visionary leadership begins with slowing down and building awareness. Yet many organisations remain structured around responding to immediate events. A conflict emerges, performance drops, or a project fails, and leaders are expected to intervene quickly with solutions. Visionary leaders approach these moments differently. Rather than asking only “What happened?” , they also ask “What conditions made this likely?” This shift reflects insights from systems thinking and organisational psychology , which emphasise that behaviour rarely emerges in isolation. It is shaped by cultural norms, incentives, relationships, and structures that interact over time. Visionary leaders therefore pay attention to patterns. They notice recurring tensions within teams, subtle shifts in communication, and the structural factors that influence behaviour. They recognise that many organisational challenges are symptoms of deeper systemic dynamics rather than isolated incidents. This type of awareness also requires self-awareness. Leaders are not neutral observers of the systems they inhabit. Their assumptions, communication styles, and reactions influence the environments around them. Visionary leadership therefore begins with the willingness to pause, reflect, and examine both personal patterns and organisational dynamics. Leadership is not simply about influencing others. It is about understanding the systems we are already shaping through our behaviour. Holding Complexity Without Rushing to Simplify. Another defining feature of visionary leadership is the ability to remain curious in the presence of complexity. Contemporary leadership culture often emphasises clarity and decisiveness. While these qualities are valuable, they can sometimes encourage leaders to simplify complex challenges too quickly. Many of the issues organisations face today - cultural transformation, innovation, inclusion, technological change - cannot be reduced to simple answers. Visionary leaders recognise this reality. They develop the capacity to hold multiple perspectives simultaneously, acknowledging nuance and uncertainty without immediately collapsing complexity into binary solutions. This does not mean avoiding decisions. Rather, it means taking the time to understand the deeper dynamics at play before acting. Leaders who demonstrate this kind of intellectual humility often create greater trust within teams. When people feel that complexity is acknowledged rather than dismissed, they are more likely to contribute ideas, challenge assumptions, and participate meaningfully in problem-solving. Creating Conditions for Others to Contribute. Traditional leadership models often focus on directing activity and ensuring compliance. Visionary leadership reframes this responsibility. Rather than concentrating solely on controlling outcomes, visionary leaders focus on shaping the conditions that allow individuals and teams to do their best work. These conditions include psychological safety, clarity of purpose, trust, and access to information . Research from organisations such as McKinsey and Google’s Project Aristotle consistently demonstrates that psychological safety is one of the strongest predictors of team performance and innovation. When these elements are present, collaboration becomes easier, creativity increases, and teams are more likely to take initiative. Visionary leaders therefore invest significant attention in the relational environment of their organisations. They pay close attention to how meetings are structured, how decisions are communicated, and how power is distributed. Rather than positioning themselves as the sole source of direction, they create environments where leadership can emerge throughout the system. Imagining More Humane Futures. The word “visionary” often implies prediction. In reality, visionary leadership is less about predicting the future and more about imagination. Visionary leaders recognise that organisational systems are human-made and therefore capable of change. They question assumptions that may no longer serve organisations or communities and explore alternative possibilities. Innovation, in this sense, is not purely technological. It is cultural. When leaders create environments where diverse perspectives are welcomed, the horizon of what becomes imaginable expands. Curiosity and experimentation become central leadership behaviours. This imaginative capacity allows organisations not only to adapt to change, but to shape it. Visionary leadership does not simply respond to change. It creates the conditions where better futures become possible. The Five Keys of Visionary Leadership. At We Create Space , we explore visionary leadership at every level through five interconnected capabilities: Wellbeing : Sustainable leadership begins with self-awareness, balance, and emotional regulation Communication : The ability to listen deeply and communicate with authenticity and clarity Teamwork : Cultivating collaboration and psychological safety within teams Innovation : Approaching uncertainty with curiosity, creativity, and experimentation Community : Building relationships and empowering others to contribute meaningfully These five keys reflect the understanding that leadership is not simply an individual capability but a relational and systemic practice. Creating Space for Leadership to Emerge. In our work with organisations around the world, we often explore how leadership behaviour, organisational culture, and organisational systems interact. The Creating Space Methodology™  helps leaders navigate this complexity by examining how culture operates across four interconnected dimensions: personal space, relational space, collective space, and systemic space. At the centre of this methodology is a simple leadership practice: Pause → Listen → Connect → Act → Reflect This cycle encourages leaders to slow down reactive decision-making, seek different perspectives, build shared understanding, and translate insight into thoughtful action. Over time, these small behavioural shifts influence how teams communicate, collaborate, and solve problems. The Future of Leadership Is Human-Centred. The leadership challenges of the twenty-first century are unlikely to become simpler. Organisations will continue to navigate technological transformation, shifting workforce expectations, and complex global challenges. In this environment, leadership will increasingly depend not only on strategy and expertise, but also on the quality of human relationships within organisations. This is why human-centred leadership is becoming such an important focus. At We Create Space , our work sits at the intersection of leadership development, organisational culture, and inclusive practice. Through research, programmes, and community initiatives, we explore how leaders can cultivate awareness, compassion, connection, and agency within complex systems. Visionary leadership ultimately asks leaders to recognise that they do more than direct activity. They shape environments. They influence how people communicate, how decisions are made, and how organisations imagine their future. And when leaders approach that responsibility with awareness, curiosity, and care, they create something far more powerful than authority. They create space. Visionary leadership is not a personality trait. It is a practice - one that organisations can intentionally cultivate. If the leadership challenges in your organisation are revealing deeper questions about culture, trust, or collaboration, perhaps it’s time to redesign how leadership actually works - not just what it says. At We Create Space, we partner with organisations around the world to cultivate human-centred cultures through research, leadership development, and the Creating Space Methodology™. If you're exploring how to build more visionary leadership in your organisation, let’s explore that architecture together. Michael Stephens (he/they) is a Leadership Architect designing human-centred systems rooted in transformation and long-term growth. He works at the level of culture and relationships, examining how leadership is experienced across identity, wellbeing and performance. As Founder of We Create Space , he partners with global organisations to design leadership ecosystems that strengthen capability, deepen belonging and support sustainable success. While you're here... We Create Space is a global learning platform and consultancy focused on workplace talent-development and community-building. Our human-centred approach creates space for people and organisations to thrive through leadership development, team learning experiences, data-backed belonging practices and bespoke content . Learn more We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Our guest writer Thokozani Mbwana reflects on the internal and external challenges faced on their journey through gender affirming surgery - exploring dysphoria and intersectional stigma at the heart of the health care system. "Oh! To be black, fat-bodied and agender: Tales from top surgery." by Thokozani Mbwana I can’t remember exactly when dysphoria entered my life. Initially, it would come and go as a hazy fog, sometimes lifting briefly to allow me to see the horizon beyond, sometimes so thick that it would travel to the back of my throat and press down on my lungs- suffocating and oppressive. Over the years, the fog settled into my chest more and more, nestling between my organs and refusing to leave. Every day I would wake with a burning sensation in my breasts, and as time went on, the constant feeling that I was finding it harder and harder to breathe. It’s taken me about ten years to reach my current place of being - the fact that I am agender. It has mostly been a journey of ‘what ifs’ and ‘what could bes’, ten years of self interrogation - ten years of hoping for a more bearable life path to reveal itself. But as the burning in my chest only grew stronger and my breathing grew fainter, one day I realised that if I did not choose to live in my truest form, I would spend a lifetime in a constant state of despair. ''I had to come to terms with the fact that with the limited language and expression we have around gender, that though I envied men who had flat chests for their ease of their gender, more specifically what I desired was the aesthetic of a flat chest in relation to my own identity.'' Agender to me is to transcend the binary, existing completely outside of the rules and regulations of gender and its conditioning. I’ve had to learn to do away with my own ideas of and subscriptions to gender. I no longer think of myself in binaries of masculine or feminine because my identity, by definition cannot be ascribed such things. But that has not meant that my processing hasn’t been binary or that the way I’m perceived isn’t either. I have long since understood that as a fat-bodied, hip-heavy “baby-faced” person that regardless of my expression or aesthetics that I will, nine times out of ten- without effort, be read as some variation of “femme” and/ or “woman”. For a long time, I really struggled with this social reality, especially when in my personal reality I do not perceive myself in that way. As time went on and I explored the intersections between my bisexuality and my ever evolving (un)gender identity, I realised that a lot of my desire for men was rooted in gender envy and not sexual attraction. I had to come to terms with the fact that with the limited language and expression we have around gender, that though I envied men who had flat chests for their ease of their gender, more specifically what I desired was the aesthetic of a flat chest in relation to my own identity. Though my gender envy manifested as “I want to be him” it was not man-ness or masculinity that I was aligned with, but rather how I perceived myself to be in my mind's eye which was that “Breasts do not serve my perceptions of myself in relation to my gender identity.” ''As black, fat-bodied and agender in the medical system trying to access gender affirming surgery - it was crucial that I interrogated my own internalised fatphobia before what I knew would be a war against my body.'' But we all know, in uncovering one thing, there is a well of other interlinking factors that reveal themselves. On my journey to understanding myself and my desires for my own body, I realised that in all my imaginings of my breast-less self, I was incredibly thin. I could not imagine myself outside of thinness because my internalised fatphobia dictated that because I was fat and “curvy” I could not or would not- regardless of whether I had breasts, be perceived outside of “femme”. I noticed the pressure for the archetypical “androgynous nonbinary” building up inside me- leading to more rounds of self-reflection and interrogation about the incessant conditioning of gender binarism. This was an incredibly difficult and necessary journey to embark on that came at the right time when, in early 2021 I started seriously considering top surgery. As black, fat-bodied and agender in the medical system trying to access gender affirming surgery- it was crucial that I interrogated my own internalised fatphobia before what I knew would be a war against my body. ''I could’ve really gone into the anti-black and violent origins of the BMI system, but I knew that arguing with a certified doctor about how exclusionary and violent that thinking and practice was, would do no good for my mental health.'' I explored both the private and public health options for top surgery to get a better understanding of what would be available and doable for me. I still remember the hours I waited to meet the doctor at the public hospital, who sat across from me for less than five minutes before very matter of factly stating that I could not, at all, access top surgery in the public healthcare system in my city. Because one of the requirements for surgery was for me to have a BMI (body mass index) of 25, she explained that she could already see that I was ineligible. I could’ve really gone into the anti-black and violent origins of the BMI system, but I knew that arguing with a certified doctor about how exclusionary and violent that thinking and practice was, would do no good for my mental health and so I shrugged it off and tried to move on. Some time later, I sat nervously in the private doctor’s office. This man would turn out to be my surgeon a few months later. I came into his office with a booklet of questions - the first asking about weight and surgery. His response was the same- you have a better chance of survival and better healing results with a BMI of 25, “But, I’ve operated on patients bigger than you and they were just fine. I understand the urgency of gender affirming surgery and your weight won’t be a barrier to you accessing this surgery .” Of course my weight wouldn’t be a barrier if I was paying out of pocket. I tried to be reassured by what he said and as I was packing my things, I resolved to take what he said positively. As I turned to leave his office right after that thought- he suggested I lose weight anyway. ''I was yet again reminded of the uncomfortable complexities of being fat, black and trans in the healthcare system. My pain - a nonfactor. My concerns - dismissed.'' I spent the next few months before my surgery doing research, with results of fat, black folks experiences being few and far between. Regardless, I felt I had done all I could to prepare myself emotionally, physically and mentally for the journey ahead. But, things never really work out the way we plan or hope for. After surgery, my drains stayed in for three weeks, which is at least two weeks longer than usual. I had accepted long before this that I would leave surgery with “dog ears'' (fat pockets left on the sides of your chest to ensure the skin doesn't tighten too much during healing- typically only done on fat patients) but what I could not stand was the pinching pain and swelling I was experiencing at the site of my drain ports. I became increasingly distressed at every weekly post surgery check-up when trying to explain to the doctor how these drains were not at all suited for my fat body, and how excruciating the pain from the swelling of my fat rolls were, because they sat right above the ports. Crying in his office in pain as he refused to prescribe me any painkillers because “the pain really isn't that bad '' I was yet again reminded of the uncomfortable complexities of being fat, black and trans in the healthcare system. My pain - a nonfactor. My concerns - dismissed. Later on in one of my check-ups I would in fact find out that one of my nipples became necrotic and died because of the lack of blood flow. ''Do I think if I was thin and white this journey would have been different? Yes, absolutely.'' I try not to be bitter about some parts of my top surgery journey. I can say unequivocally that it wasn’t an easy journey, holding a beautiful body I loved and hoped the best for, and presenting it to people who brazenly suggested that it was not worthy of the future it deserved. Though the bitterness lingers and sometimes I try to fight it- I do believe that experiencing such difficult feelings has helped me process a lot of what I had thought was unprocessable. An incredible support system who reminded me every step of the way how precious my body and I are were important. My therapist talking me down from disordered eating episodes was important. Discarding binary ideas of fat distribution and body types was important. Talking to my body every day and praising it for surviving such a tough transition was so incredibly important. Do I think if I was thin and white this journey would have been different? Yes, absolutely. But at what cost does desiring being thin and white take away from the phenomenally empowering experience of choosing my agender final form in all my fat, black glory? In the end, I am exactly as I am meant to be. About Thokozani Mbwana (they/he): Thokozani is a nosey researcher by day and an Ancestor-summoning poet/writer by night. Their work explores existing and becoming and the murky confusion in between. Find their debut poetry chapbook The Sunflower Faces East At Dawn here and personal essays chapbook Agender Daydreams here Connect with Thokozani: Twitter: @writtenbyflora Instagram: @ur_fave_uncle

Neil Hudson-Basing shares lessons and insights from his events career which feature in his new WCS | Masterclass. Working in event management wasn’t planned. As a kid, through my teens, university and beyond, I flitted between what I wanted to do with my life and who I wanted to be. I didn’t have any role models or big aspirations. I accidentally fell into the world of events and the fast paced nature of it appealed to me. Suddenly, without even realising for quite a while, it became my career. The roles I’ve had have been incredibly varied - from fundraising officer to project manager, to my role today at We Create Space as Community & Events Director (with many more in between). My career has spanned a broad range of sectors too - charity voluntary, political, education and media. What started off as roles primarily centred around operations and logistics has shifted to one focusing on content creation, communication and community building. In recent years, I’ve also flexed into hosting and facilitation. Having been in the Events Industry over the last 20 years, I’ve been responsible for creating meaningful experiences for attendees, speakers and stakeholders - and so much of the impact I’ve seen comes back to whether or not those individuals feel a part of it. I didn’t quite grasp that in my early career in the same way I do now through the lens of Inclusive Event Design. Inclusive Event Design is like a second language to me now. It’s embedded and flows through my approach, behaviours and actions. A fair bit of it feels intrinsic, stemming from my insistence, since childhood, on fairness, kindness and respect. Yet much of it is learned and has been shaped by interactions, experiences and lessons throughout my career (some of which I’ve learned the hard way). I have been able to transfer the skills I’ve developed and learned throughout my career into so many other facets of my life. It probably goes without saying that organisational skills have supported me in project management and delivery in both my professional and personal outputs. However, there are two areas in which I’ve found the most value as a result of being an events professional: communication & relationship building . These have become fundamental in how I show up in the world in how I collaborate, support and advocate for others. We’ve just launched our brand new WCS Masterclass in Inclusive Event Design - designed and delivered by yours truly - to help you embed inclusion & belonging into every stage of the event planning journey. Now that it's live I’ve been reflecting a lot on how I got to where I am today. With those reflections in mind, here are 5 career defining moments that have stayed with me, taught me a ton and influenced the decisions I make when creating events. The Power of Storytelling In my early career as Campaigns & Public Affairs Assistant at the UK’s leading cancer charity, I supported the production of a Financial Toolkit for People Affected by Cancer. This culminated in a roundtable discussion consisting of medical professionals, policy makers and most importantly, service users. Whether talking about car parking fees, benefits or caring allowances, hearing service users talk about their lived experience of navigating life with cancer brought the toolkit to life . What’s more, it raised awareness, educated key decision makers and changed processes. It was an impactful example of using an event to launch a product and create change through real life storytelling. The Spirit of Collaboration & Co-Production My first big break into the world of events was landing the role of ‘Project Coordinator’ for a membership organisation made up of trade associations, regulatory bodies and charities. Our main purpose was to support the curation and delivery of a programme of events during the three main political party conferences through fringe events, flagship activities and an exhibition. One of my tasks was to find commonalities amongst the 50 members, group them together - across three organisations - and have them collaborate on a joint event. This event would ultimately aim to shape overarching policy in key areas relevant to their individual organisation and communicate their work. Seeing incredibly different organisations with specific remits come together, and working with them, in such an creative, innovative and unified way instilled in me the importance of collaboration and co-production. Later down the line, this massively shaped the way I worked with ERGs in terms of cross-collaborative ventures and today as I speak about impact within Inclusive Event Design. Logistics That Work For Everyone As a Corporate Events Manager working in an academic institution, I would work across and support different departments. One event that came my way was a celebration of 100 years of our learning disability nursing department which would be attended by academics, nursing professionals and people with learning disabilities. Until that point in my role, everything required of me had been incredibly corporate E.G. audiences, catering, technical requirements. Yet delivering an event for people with learning disabilities required extra levels of thought and attention to ensure the experience for them was equitable and comfortable. I worked closely with the Learning Disability Nursing team on all things logistics from shaping the programme to lighting and they taught me new skills - producing easy read signage. This instance highlighted how logistics can be handled more considerately and creatively when considering the attendee experience for everyone. Representation Matters I’m transparent about where I’ve made mistakes in my career and truly believe mistakes set us up for success - and hopefully avoid making them again! When I began working on virtual events, I spearheaded an online, three-part Sustainability & Climate Action Series, which took part across a whopping 11 days with speakers from around the world. No easy feat! I snapped into action to source speakers. It wasn't until part two of the series that I stopped, looked at the makeup of the speakers and realised there was limited representation when it came to Black individuals & POC. With climate change impacting global majority communities more than anyone else, I realised this was something I needed to fix - not out of ticking the boxes but because representation matters and the integrity of the event demanded it. It was a lesson learned the hard way and it’s something that is now at the forefront of my mind when crafting events. Sometimes it means digging that bit deeper to source a speaker that is right for the role but one that also brings a diverse, intersectional perspective. Bringing your Audience on a Journey How you engage with your audience is a core part of our Masterclass in Inclusive Event Design and provides an opportunity for you to be creative, challenge yourself AND your audience. Working within a university, things were pretty traditional and I revelled in disrupting that fairly often. Repositioning my role from one centred around logistics to one driving content and messaging, I organised an International Women’s Day evening entitled ‘Casual Misogyny & Sexism - Banter or Oppression?’ BOOM. A title to grab people’s attention. We even had postcards distributed around campus featuring somewhat tongue-in-cheek but thought-provoking phrases women often hear from men to promote the event. The next step was creating a format for the evening. I bypassed the usual options and instead booked a well-known comedian to kickstart the evening. This was followed by a student who spoke frankly and freely about the casual sexism they’d encountered on campus and the impact of this on their studies. A panel discussion made up of professionals, students and our comedian provided the audience with a range of viewpoints and take-aways, including what male allyship looks like in these scenarios. I even hosted the evening - overcoming my fear of public speaking - to put this into action. The event was a sellout. We had a packed out audience and it was talked about for weeks afterwards. It shaped future events and attracted new attendees from within the university and local community too. It demonstrated the need to mix things up a bit in order to effectively communicate a message and inspire new ways of thinking. To sum up this article, I did an online search for a definition of ‘Inclusive Event Design’ and here’s what came up: the proactive, comprehensive process of planning events that ensure all participants—attendees, speakers, and staff—feel welcome, safe, and respected, regardless of their background, ability, or identity. It’s a decent definition and hits the nail on the head but ultimately, as event planners - whether in your professional role, in your free time, as a community organiser, etc… the definition you create exists in you and how you do things. It isn’t just a nice thing to do. It’s fundamental to meeting organisational goals, encouraging strong stakeholder engagement, building communities and creating positive change. So it makes sense for event planners and their organisations to dedicate the time to adopt an inclusive events approach that is accessible, actionable and sustainable as well as being effective. There’s no right or wrong way to do it either. Actually, I’ll rephrase that, there is no one-way to do it . There are in fact many wrong ways to do it and I’ve done them… and got the t-shirt. I hope that this Masterclass supports you in navigating (even avoiding) some of the pitfalls and mistakes I’ve encountered as well as supports you in your learning and development when it comes to your own organisation, communication and relationship building skills & techniques. As I state in the Masterclass, creating inclusive events is not a linear process and you won’t always get it right. It’s a holistic process that will shape you, your choices and your career. The blips will shape you and your future events. You’ll learn and grow and your events will flourish as a result. Neil Hudson-Basing (he/him) is We Create Space 's Community & Events Director based in London. With almost 20 years experience in the events industry, Neil has a real passion for bringing audiences together. He's the Co-Founder of The House of Happiness, a queer led & delivered sober clubbing event, to help address the lack of LGBTQ+ sober spaces. He's also the producer & host of his podcast 'Pause. And Rewind...' which focuses on inclusion heroes & their origin stories. He's a passionate advocate for volunteering too - he's the Events Director for Trans+ History Week & regularly supports multiple charities, non-profits & initiatives. While you're here... We Create Space is a global learning platform and consultancy focused on workplace talent-development and community-building. Our human-centred approach creates space for people and organisations to thrive through leadership development, team learning experiences, data-backed belonging practices and bespoke content . Learn more We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Michael Stephens explores how burnout can reveal the hidden architecture of leadership - and why sustainable, human-centred performance begins in the body. I'm currently in recovery from another period of burnout. Not the dramatic, collapse-on-the-floor version I have experienced in the past, thankfully, but a quieter, more insidious form. I am still functioning. Still creating. And despite taking some time off to recover, my sleep remains fragmented, my digestion impacted, and my body feels ever-so-subtly braced, as though preparing for something that never quite arrives. If you are a leader, founder, or someone navigating change, burnout or identity shifts - this may sound or feel familiar. I have been here before. And yet this time something feels different. Some of the symptoms are familiar, but my understanding and relationship to them has shifted somewhat. In the past, I’ve primarily treated burnout as episodic: too much work, too much ambition, too much responsibility. A difficult season to optimise around or push through. This time I have been sitting with some different questions: What is the pattern here? What am I letting go of? What am I Creating Space  for? Before going further, I want to be clear: I’m not writing this as a clinician. I’m writing as a founder, a leader, and someone who has spent years in therapy and research trying to understand his own patterns. If something resonates, explore it with professionals who can support you. This is an invitation to inquire, not diagnose. The Breath in Subtle Extension Across decades, different symptoms have appeared on different surfaces in my life - from adolescent disordered eating, to substance misuse in early adulthood and burnout in leadership. Digestive sensitivity, early waking and neck tension - for a long time, I treated each chronic symptom in isolation, spending so much time (and money) seeking solutions to them individually. But now, I'm seeing them as expressions of one adaptive architecture. One of the most unexpected clues has been something people have complimented me on my entire life: my posture. I have often been told I stand poised "like a dancer.” Shoulders back. Chest open. Disciplined. Confident. I wore that as a badge of pride. Only recently have I begun to consider that what appears elegant may also reflect subtle over-extension - a nervous system living in quiet readiness. It looks powerful. It feels productive. Mechanically however, it can be exhausting. And over time, takes a quiet toll. A Body That Learned to Brace Research in psychology consistently shows that meaning and purpose are associated with resilience and long-term wellbeing. Yet people who report a strong sense of purpose can also often experience greater day-to-day stress . After all, we do not stress over what we do not care about. We stress over what matters. Stress follows significance.   For many visionary leaders, founders, creatives and facilitators, significance is not optional. We shape space. We hold responsibility. We care deeply. The World Health Organization defines burnout as “a syndrome resulting from chronic stress that has not been successfully managed”. What that definition underplays is the physiological dimension. Chronic stress fundamentally reshapes bodily rhythms and signalling systems. It influences sleep architecture, cortisol patterns , immune signalling and digestive function. It is not simply emotional depletion; it is accumulated load. Breathing patterns I’ve learned are part of this picture. Under prolonged stress, breathing can shift toward upper chest dominance , where accessory neck muscles take over and exhalation becomes incomplete. Reduced exhale depth is associated with sustained sympathetic activation - the body’s “prepared mode.” When we do not fully exhale, we do not fully downshift. Over time, that subtle elevation can influence sleep transitions, contributing to the 2–4am alertness many of us high-functioning leaders quietly experience. The vagus nerve - a central component of the parasympathetic nervous system - connects the brainstem to heart, lungs and gut. It plays a role in digestion, inflammatory regulation and stress recovery. It turns out approximately seventy percent of immune tissue resides in the gut . Chronic sympathetic dominance has been linked to altered microbiome diversity and inflammatory signalling. This does not mean stress causes illness in isolation. But it does influence the terrain. In that light, digestive sensitivity during periods of stress and burnout appears less random and more systemic. For many of us, the story does not begin in adulthood. Early-life stress can recalibrate the autonomic baseline . Children who experience pressure, emotional unpredictability or the need to over-adapt in order to belong may adopt a higher sympathetic tone as a strategy . Regulation may later occur through achievement, discipline, athleticism, food, substances or overwork (or all the above in my case). The behaviour varies, but the underlying template may be similar. These are not moral failures, they are regulatory strategies that once made sense. Leadership Without Exhale From a leadership perspective, this matters. Many high-functioning leaders operate from what I now recognise as “elevated-neutral” rather than “relaxed-neutral”. Chest open. Forward-facing. Responsible. Holding everything. It is socially rewarded and often effective. It certainly gave me access to influence and responsibility earlier than I might otherwise have had. Yet without parasympathetic counterbalance, it became vigilance with responsibility. I now recognise that sustainable leadership requires nervous system literacy - not to dampen ambition, but to support it with regulation. When I look back honestly, burnout has been a catalyst for transformation in my life. It led me to seek help for addiction. It led me to change careers. It led me to build We Create Space . Each interruption forced deeper inquiry - not into productivity, but into presence; not into achievement, but into adaptation. Each breakdown led to a significant shift - a shift away from something that was no longer serving me, and toward something arguably better. Burnout, in this framing, is not merely collapse. It’s interruption. It is the moment the architecture reveals itself. Creating Space in the Body and in Leadership Creating Space has never only been the name of my work. It is the embodied practice of transformation I have been using for many years in my personal and professional life. At its core, the Creating Space Methodology follows a simple but powerful rhythm: Self-Awareness → Compassion → Connection → Agency. The Creating Space Wheel ™ Burnout, for me, has been the interruption that forced me back into that rhythm. So how might you begin to locate this within yourself - not as diagnosis, but as inquiry? What You Can Do: Self-Awareness. The first step is noticing. Where does your breath live when you are stressed, presenting, leading or problem-solving? Is it low and expansive, or high and lifted? Can you feel the end of your exhale - or does it disappear before it fully lands? What happens to your posture under pressure? Does your chest subtly rise? Do your shoulders brace? Do you operate from extension without realising it? Even tracking your sleep patterns - waking at the same time each night - can reveal how fully (or not) you are downshifting during the day. Self-awareness is not self-criticism. It is observation without agenda. Compassion. Once you see the pattern, resist the urge to judge it. The bracing, the over-achieving, the vigilance - these were not flaws. They were strategies. They once made sense. Compassion reframes the architecture not as dysfunction, but as adaptation. Your nervous system was not betraying you. It was protecting you. Connection. From there, you can begin to ask the deeper question: where else does this pattern live? In your relationships? In your leadership style? In your need to perform, control or stay ahead? Connection is about seeing how the physical, emotional and behavioural threads interweave. Burnout stops being an isolated event and becomes part of a broader system asking to be understood. Agency. Only then does practice become meaningful. Agency is not about forcing change; it is about choosing interruption. Lengthen the exhale by two or three seconds. Soften the lower ribs. Allow the abdomen to expand without sucking it in. Pause before responding. Reduce one unnecessary stimulus. These are small acts. They are architectural acts. They signal safety to the system. Creating Space is not about becoming a “better” leader. It is about becoming a more present one. From Individual Work to Cultural Design I do not romanticise burnout. It disrupts identity, relationships and work. But I am beginning to feel grateful to my body for revealing what was hidden in plain sight. Grateful for the interruptions. Grateful for the invitation to move from urgency to intention, from control to connection, from over-adaptation to conscious choice. My relationship with burnout remains complicated. But in learning to exhale more fully - physiologically and psychologically - I am learning to lead differently. And that, perhaps, is the real transformation happening here. What began as personal recovery has become professional clarity. If burnout reveals architecture at the level of the individual, it also reveals architecture at the level of the organisation. Culture is not just strategy and structure; it is nervous systems interacting at scale.   Sustainable performance requires sustainable regulation.  That is leadership design work. When leadership operates in chronic urgency, organisations begin to reflect that physiology. Decisions become reactive rather than strategic. Communication shortens. Control quietly replaces trust. Creativity narrows under pressure. High performers remain functional, but innovation thins and retention suffers. Burnout rarely announces itself loudly inside businesses; it often shows up as subtle friction, cultural fatigue, avoidable turnover, and leaders who are technically effective yet quietly depleted. The cost is not only wellbeing - it is clarity, cohesion and long-term performance. This is why our work increasingly focuses on simplicity, sustainability and scalability through the lens of the Creating Space Methodology . Simplicity reduces unnecessary cognitive and emotional load. Sustainability protects nervous system capacity over time. Scalability requires systems that do not rely on chronic urgency to function. If a leadership culture depends on constant bracing, it cannot scale without exhaustion. Regulation, therefore, is not a personal wellness concept; it is a strategic design principle. If leaders operate from bracing, organisations mirror it. If urgency drives nervous systems, culture absorbs that urgency. If leaders learn to regulate, teams feel safer. Human-centred leadership is not soft - it’s systemic. If burnout is revealing something about how leadership is experienced in your organisation , let’s explore how to redesign that architecture - together. Michael Stephens (he/they) is a Leadership Architect designing human-centred systems rooted in transformation and long-term growth. He works at the level of culture and relationships, examining how leadership is experienced across identity, wellbeing and performance. As Founder of We Create Space , he partners with global organisations to design leadership ecosystems that strengthen capability, deepen belonging and support sustainable success. While you're here... We Create Space is a global learning platform and consultancy focused on workplace talent-development and community-building. Our human-centred approach creates space for people and organisations to thrive through leadership development, team learning experiences, data-backed belonging practices and bespoke content . Learn more We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Connecting communities through allyship. At We Create Space, we see the transformative power of community every single day. For organisations striving to build a more inclusive, engaged, and thriving workplace, we believe community-building isn’t just a solution. It’s the foundation. As part of our ongoing support for & partnership with Trans+ History Week, this instalment of Community Building 101 explores what to expect from Year 3 of this growing & impactful calendar moment. With a focus on the THW Workbook, produced with Queer AF, for 2026 and powered by DIVA Charitable Trust, as well as how to bring this to life within your organisation! Jon-Paul Vicari (he/him), Managing Director for WCS, is joined by Marty Davies (she/they), Founder of Trans+ History Week to discuss the ever-increasing need for the popularisation of Trans+ history, the challenges & joy of leading this community movement and a direct call for action for individuals & businesses to make 2026 the year they get on board. PLUS, Neil Hudson-Basing (he/him), our Community & Events Director for WCS, shares a few ideas for how to put the lessons from the THW Workbook into action through content & events as launch our brand new We Create Space Masterclass in Inclusive Event Design. In previous Community Building 101 sessions we have spoken with the teams behind Trans+ History Week , Voda: The LGBTQIA+ Mental Wellbeing App , UK Black Pride , Oogachaga and Panteres Grogues . The objective of Community Building 101 is to provide actionable strategies & tools to promote effective change, collective learning, workplace culture & shared values. It also serves as a talking point for how grassroots principles can be applied in corporate settings and vice versa. We asked our speakers to share their main takeaways from the event: Marty Davies Centre Trans+ people and their input in anything you create for Trans+ History Week. Download the Trans+ History Week Workbook 2026 to get more tips and inspiration for your plans. Jon-Paul Vicari Pay trans+ people for their work and time and give credit where it’s due. Consider how you build trans+ inclusion into everyday behaviours. I once had a leader that at end of the every weekly team meeting did a 5-10 min Inclusion Moment (e.g. short videos, celebration/awareness moments, articles, lessons from the workbook) Neil Hudson-Basing Consider you can use your professional power & privilege to raise awareness & drive change and then commit to action. Know that tapping into your skills & expertise can make a difference somewhere! If you would like to discuss booking one of these speakers for your own session, please get in touch with us via email at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here . We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter  so you can stay up to date!

Intersectional perspectives on the issues facing LGBTQ+ people in the workplace with our 'Pride & Beyond' podcast. The Pride & Beyond Podcast shares valuable insights on a variety of intersectional topics that focus on the Queer Community and the experiences of Queer Leaders in the workplace. Across 13 episodes you'll be provided you with the space to learn, reflect, and consider how you can be a more impactful leader and ally within the communities that you are serving, during Pride, and beyond. Each episode features different members of the WCS Collective, each offering rich intersectional lived experience and professional expertise. 01. Navigating Male Privilege Alex Leon , Ryan Zaman , Calvin Stovell & Tate Smith discuss: When and how is male privilege granted, rewarded, or weaponised? What are some intersectional nuances within the LGBTQIA+ male experience? How can male privilege be leveraged for positive change?  LISTEN NOW  02. Queer Migrant & Refugee Status Carlos Idibouo , Nour Mfjarrouj & Aditya Sinha discuss: Who are migrants and refugees? How do LGBTQ+ identities inform this experience? What are the common misconceptions surrounding migrant and refugee status? How do we tackle the root cause of stigma and specific barriers to societal inclusion? Addressing the opportunity gap, inclusive recruitment and investing in refugee employment. How moving migrant and refugee stories forward (beyond creating awareness) can help organisations reach diverse talent?  LISTEN NOW  03. Being a Queer Leader of Faith Kanndiss Riley , Andrew Seedall , Alex D’Sa & Kodo Nishimura discuss: How do faith and Queerness interact? Where can we find spaces as LGBTQ+ People within faith communities? Advice for anyone struggling to reconcile their Queerness with their faith. How God is Love.  LISTEN NOW  04. LGBTQ+ Parenting Chloë Davies , Jani Toivola , Jack López , Maylis Djikalou  discuss: Challenging heteronormative parenting Addressing gendered assumptions Navigating coming out and gender identity exploration Exploring queer parenting, leadership, and workplace inclusion.  LISTEN NOW  05. Mental Health & Overcoming Addiction Erica Burton , Anick Soni , Maylis Djikalou & Suresh Ramdas  discuss: Language framing. Differing interpretations of the definition of 'mental health'. The unique mental health journeys of our speakers, and what having good mental health means.  LISTEN NOW  06. Being A Disabled Leader Mark Travis Rivera , Max Marchewicz , Stewart O’Callaghan and Char Bailey discuss: Challenging stereotypes and breaking barriers Creating inclusive and accessible workplaces Advocating for disability rights and representation  LISTEN NOW  07. Non-Binary Leadership Ben Pechey , Shiva Raichandani , Luke Lopez & Bachul Koul discuss: Our panellists journeys of self-expression How Leaders can protect their mental health  What the panellists would like their legacy to be  LISTEN NOW  08. Psychological Safety Marie-Helene Tyack , Nicole Simpson , Obella Obbo & Scott Sallée discuss: How to create cultures of safety where LGBTQ+ colleagues feel safe to speak up. Ways to leverage intersectionality to foster an inclusive mindset. How to impact culture change through radical empathy. How to better engage, support, and learn from LGBTQ+ colleagues.  LISTEN NOW  09. Leadership Beyond the Binary Polo Lonergan , Olivia Esposito , Jamie Lowe & Rico Jacob Chace discuss: Re-imagining culture, spaces, and opportunities in the workplace to attract and retain trans talent. How to encourage leadership to be visible and vocal trans allies. How to model inclusive language & share tools for colleagues to do the same. Understanding sponsorship and allyship & their importance as ongoing practices.  LISTEN NOW  10. Bodily Autonomy Lisa Marie Hall , Jude Guaitamacchi , Doug Graffeo & Jolinda Johnson discuss: Understanding bodily autonomy and how to support the freedoms of others Contextualising global legal restrictions on gender identity and sexual orientation Reflecting on the impact of these issues on LGBTQ+ mental health Applying an intersectional lens in building safer workplaces for LGBTQ+ employees Learning to model inclusive behaviour and share tools for colleagues to do the same  LISTEN NOW  11. Intergenerational Wisdom Yujx Smith , Erica Rose , Marc Thompson & Jae Sloan discuss: Nurturing future Queer leaders and retain LGBTQ+ talent. Identifying the barriers that prevent intergenerational bonding and mentorship among LGBTQ+ people at work. How intergenerational LGBTQ+ mentorship can also help create a culture of allies at work. Leveraging the power of intergenerational storytelling to sustain corporate activism.  LISTEN NOW  12. Queer Financial Wellbeing Kayus Fernander , Katya Veleva , Manuel Schlothauer & MK Getler-Porizkova discuss: Understanding financial wellbeing from a LGBTQ+ and intersectional lens. Reframing societal and inherited narratives of success, failure and self-worth. The role of allies in closing the financial education gap. Identifying financial resources and information to help LGBTQ+ employees gain more financial stability in the face of unexpected events.  LISTEN NOW  13. LGBTQ+ Anti-Racism Yassine Senghor , XaaaV, Sanjukta Moorthy & Andre Johnsen discuss: Challenging unconscious biases and become consciously inclusive. Learning to take action against racism and enact change in your workplace. Creating moments of connection to understand the experiences of LGBTQ+ colleagues from racialised backgrounds. Expanding your comfort zone with useful tools and resources for uncomfortable conversations. LISTEN NOW While you're here... We Create Space is a global education platform and consultancy focused on workplace talent-development and community-building. Our human-centred approach creates space for people and organisations to thrive through leadership development, team learning experiences, data-backed belonging practices and bespoke content . Find out more here . We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Dhiren Doshi-Smith shares how workplaces can champion ADHD inclusion. I was 38 when I got my ADHD diagnosis. For years, I had been quietly navigating life like a tightrope walker: balancing deadlines, social expectations, and the relentless inner chatter that never seemed to stop. Finally, naming it felt like relief. But the world had other plans. "Isn't everyone a little ADHD?" a well-meaning colleague asked. Just like that, the weight of my own experience was flattened into a shrug. It was casual, well-meant, and it landed hard. I was already second-guessing myself, wondering if my struggles were just an inability to cope as well as others. This comment pushed me further into that spiral. Even with a diagnosis in hand, doing something with it proved nearly impossible. Transferring my treatment to my GP for ongoing care and prescriptions became a maze of delays, refusals, and a quiet implication that this wasn't really a priority. Not urgent. Not serious enough. I share this not for sympathy. It’s a pattern I’ve seen and heard in both my personal network and professional experience, and one I've experienced first-hand: countless others are living it right now. The Trend That Isn't ADHD has become "trendy" in media narratives, reduced to overdiagnosis fears or memes about procrastination. But there's no real evidence of overdiagnosis. If anything, with support structures poorly funded and an increasingly dismissive culture around neurodiversity, there are likely significant numbers of undiagnosed people alongside those with diagnoses, all trying to cope silently. Being misread. Misunderstood. Minimised. For queer communities, where research shows ADHD prevalence is significantly higher. A 2023 study in the Journal of Attention Disorders  found LGB teens are over five times more likely to meet ADHD criteria than their non-LGB peers. These pressures layer invisibly, creating exhaustion that compounds daily. This isn't abstract. It's happening in your workplace right now. The Real Cost of "Everyone's a Little ADHD" When we minimise ADHD, we're not just dismissing a diagnosis. We're dismissing the daily reality of people who spend enormous energy masking to appear "normal", who miss opportunities because systems aren't designed for how their brains work, who hear "just focus" or "try harder" when they're already running on empty, who watch their potential go unrealised because "coping" is mistaken for thriving. This has real consequences. Research by Dr. Russell A. Barkley   shows employees with ADHD are 30% more likely to have chronic employment issues, 60% more likely to be fired from a job, and three times more likely to quit a job impulsively. Adults with untreated ADHD lose an average of 22 days of productivity per year . These aren't just statistics. They represent lost innovation, reduced well-being, and talent that quietly burns out or leaves. Collaboration Doesn't Happen in a Vacuum Successful teams almost always contain a diverse range of people, including those with neurodiversities. The question isn't why  you should adapt to support them; It's why wouldn’t you? Recognising that we aren't all the same, and that some adaptation may be required to maximise potential, makes for a stronger, better, happier workforce. These adaptations are often simple, low-cost, or no-cost. Teams succeed when everyone, regardless of neurotype, feels seen, heard, and empowered to contribute in ways that work for them. That doesn't require a complete HR overhaul. It requires attention, intention, and a willingness to adapt how we work together. And here's the thing: it benefits everyone , not just neurodivergent employees. What You Can Do Start small. Pay attention to the language you use. Instead of saying "isn't everyone a little ADHD?" try "tell me more about what that's like for you" or simply "thank you for sharing that with me." These small shifts create space for authentic conversations rather than dismissal. Educate yourself and your teams. People are often well-meaning but don't really understand, and would be mortified by the impact their words can have. Resources like ADHD UK ( adhduk.co.uk ) and ADHD Aware ( adhdaware.org.uk ) offer accessible, evidence-based information. Creating space for open discussion and genuine learning means fewer dismissive moments and more thoughtful, informed conversations. If you're in a position to influence culture, whether as a team lead, manager, or colleague, take action. Connect with your Employee Resource Groups focused on neurodiversity or disability inclusion. Talk to HR about reviewing your benefits to ensure they cover ADHD assessments and support. Share resources with colleagues. If you're having a difficult conversation about someone's ADHD, approach it with curiosity rather than judgment. Ask "what support would help you work at your best?" rather than focusing on what isn't working. Ready to Go Further? If you want to move beyond awareness and actually embed neuroinclusive practices in your workplace, that's where structured support makes the difference. My neuro-inclusivity training helps teams build understanding that goes beyond stereotypes to see the real experiences of neurodivergent colleagues. It creates practical strategies, actionable changes that don't require budget increases or policy overhauls. And it develops sustainable habits, culture shifts that last beyond a one-off workshop. I work predominantly with organisations committed to supporting POC, queer, and neurodivergent communities, or those at the intersections of these identities. As an ADHD UK Ambassador and therapeutic counsellor specialising in these spaces, I bring lived experience alongside professional expertise. Minimisation and under-support cost more than we often acknowledge: human potential, innovation, and wellbeing. By noticing, adapting, and committing to change, workplaces can shift from performative inclusion to meaningful collaboration. And that shift can start today. Want to bring neuro-inclusive training to your organisation?  Get in touch to discuss how we can work together. Dhiren Doshi-Smith (he/they) Dhiren Doshi-Smith is a queer British-Indian counsellor, speaker, and model with ADHD. He runs his own practice, Oakpath Therapy. Dhiren is an ADHD UK Ambassador, and is a trainer and speaker specialising in neuro-inclusivity for diverse workplaces. He is passionate about making emotional education and mental health support more accessible, particularly within queer, neurodivergent, and POC communities While you're here... We Create Space is a global education platform and consultancy focused on workplace talent-development and community-building. Our human-centred approach creates space for people and organisations to thrive through leadership development, team learning experiences, data-backed belonging practices and bespoke content . Find out more here . We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

WCS Managing Director Jon-Paul Vicari shares how empathy has shaped his approach to inclusive leadership. 2026 requires the promise of hope at a time when we need it more from leaders than ever. I’m Jon-Paul Vicari (he/him), Managing Director at We Create Space. I’ve been leading people for as long as I can remember, not because I set out to be a leader, but because I’ve always been drawn to helping people feel seen, capable, and able to do their best work. That’s what led me to We Create Space in 2021 as a participant in the “Who Am I?” queer leadership training programme. Over the course of those two days, I discovered things about myself and my leadership that to this day have made a career altering difference. Formally, I’ve led teams since my teens from school clubs to running my first retail store at 20. Over the past two decades, I’ve worked across retail, HR tech, recruitment marketing, employer branding, talent acquisition, and DEI, partnering with hundreds of organisations across sectors, sizes, and geographies. My leadership style is rooted in empathy not as a “nice to have,” but as a performance strategy. I’ve seen, repeatedly, when people feel psychologically safe, trusted, and supported, results follow. Strong performance isn’t created through pressure alone; it’s built through clarity, confidence, and cultures where people can think, challenge, and contribute fully. That belief is shaped not just by my career but through my lived experience. As a queer, brown man, I’ve navigated systems that weren’t designed with me in mind. I’ve lived with mental health challenges, transitioned industries multiple times, and recently moved countries. Each experience sharpened my understanding of what it means to lead with humanity in environments that are complex, uncertain, and demanding. Those experiences have taught me that inclusion isn’t theoretical; it shows up in everyday decisions, behaviours, and moments of leadership under pressure. Some days I’ve been wildly successful and others I’ve failed multiple times, which is not something I like to admit but it’s the truth and leadership requires hard truths. Over the past few years at We Create Space, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with leaders navigating rapid change, rising expectations, and increasing ambiguity. One thing has become consistently clear: organisations that invest in inclusive leadership don’t just build better cultures they make better decisions, retain stronger talent, and outperform when it matters most. This year, our work is centred on upskilling leaders to perform well in the realities they’re actually facing: leading diverse teams, competing priorities, and the need to move faster without losing people along the way. If inclusion is going to deliver real business impact, it has to live in everyday leadership behaviour, not strategy decks. With that in mind, here’s two things I’m currently working on to level up my own leadership practice. 1. Coaching with empathy and clarity Empathy doesn’t mean avoiding difficult conversations. I have done this before and let me tell you, avoidance is not an effective strategy. As a leader I’m practising pairing care with precision, setting clear expectations, giving timely feedback, and naming what’s really happening, even when it’s uncomfortable. Coaching requires understanding how your team learns best. The best coaches and leaders adapt to their people, they don’t expect everyone to adapt to them. You can’t reach that level of understanding without empathy, self awareness, connection, and talking to your people about the wholeness of their life. Use statements like: “I want to be clear about what success looks like here, because I care about setting you up to do your best work.” “I want to share something while it’s still useful, not later when it’s harder to act on.” “Something isn’t landing as intended, and it’s important we look at it together.” “How do you learn best when something’s challenging?” “What support from me would make this feel more achievable for you right now?” Psychological safety isn’t created by silence; it’s built when people trust that honesty will be met with respect. When clarity increases, so does confidence, alignment, and performance. 2. Letting go to build agency As much as I am a proponent for empathy, there are ways it has produced shortcomings in my leadership. Most often this has shown up as giving too much support, when what people really needed was agency. As leaders it can be tempting to hold tightly to our sense of control, especially in moments of uncertainty. Despite good intentions, this fear of letting go of control can ultimately stifle and erode trust between managers and their teams. I’m deliberately working to create more space for others to own decision making, experiment and lead in their own way. That means trusting capability, not just managing emotions and risk. When people feel trusted, their engagement deepens, learning accelerates, and teams move faster without burning out. One way I’m doing this now is empowering a team member to pilot working a 4 day week, allowing them to navigate managing their schedule and tasks to see if it’s viable for them and their working style, as well as the needs of our business. Use statements like: “I trust your judgement on this, you don’t need my permission, we just need to be in alignment with the goals” “What decision feels right to you based on what you know right now?” “What would you do if I wasn’t in the room?” “Let’s agree on the results, review what’s working, and adjust together.” “I’m noticing a blocker, do you want help removing it or space to work through it?” These are the same skills we focus on with the leaders we work with because when self-awareness, connection, and agency are built into leadership practice, results aren’t a happy accident, they’re a predictable outcome. In Conclusion: At We Create Space, we operate in a continuous cycle: listening deeply to leaders and organisations, learning from lived experience and data, translating those insights into practical frameworks and behaviours, and supporting leaders to put them into action. This is our Creating Space methodology in action. What we see working and what we see fail feeds directly back into how we design programmes, coach leaders, and support culture change at scale. The same way I’m challenging my own habits and assumptions, We Create Space is challenging leaders to build the skills, confidence, and psychological safety needed to lead well in complexity. This process of reflecting on my own leadership, testing new behaviours, learning where I get it wrong, and adjusting in real time isn’t separate from the work we do with our clients. It is the work. 2026 is going to ask more of us and I’m boldly asking you to join me in giving more . More courage, more care, more clarity, and more hope. This may be the most important promise leaders can make to their people and their organisations. Jon-Paul Vicari (he/him) Jon-Paul is Managing Director at We Create Space. He is a queer Lebanese man living with depression who understands the complexities of holding multiple identities. He has volunteered with HIV/AIDS NGOs, organized community events for LGBTQ+ youths, created DEI programming, advised on inclusive products and services, supported LGBTQ+ political candidates, and worked on recruiting diverse talent. Additionally, Jon-Paul is a strong advocate for mental health and well-being, neurodiversity, self-empowerment, and culture change. He is passionate about community building and activism, and has spoken about these topics at various events. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here . We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Our new report explores how organisations can build sustainable culture change through year-round action. Every year, organisations cycle through a familiar rhythm: Pride in June, Black History Month in October (in the UK), International Women’s Day in March, Disability History Month, Trans Day of Visibility, South Asian Heritage Month, Mental Health Awareness Week and on it goes. These dates matter. They uplift stories, generate visibility, and offer structured opportunities to celebrate communities that have historically been marginalised. With this in mind, We Create Space & Soho House partnered to bring thought leaders in London together to explore the concept of building movements in organisations rather than focus on calendar moments. This group of experts ranged from large global organisations, cultural institutions, community organisers, and represented a diverse group of roles within these companies.  What was clear throughout the roundtable discussion was these moments alone are not enough. They cannot hold the weight of the lived experiences they are meant to honour, nor can they drive the organisational change that true inclusion and belonging requires. Simply put:   “If it is a moment, inevitably it is going to go away.”  - Tolu Osinubi, Director of Engineering, AI & Data The challenging question organisations must now confront is: How do we turn these moments into a sustainable movement? What follows captures the core themes from our discussion and concludes with three practical steps for any organisation to use, regardless of size, maturity, or industry. 1. Moments Create Visibility but Without Year-Round Action, They Fail Participants were unanimous, calendar moments can spark attention, but they are insufficient on their own. Several themes emerged: Lack of Emotional Investment When inclusion activities are limited to single calendar moments, they generate awareness but not understanding. People outside those communities may attend an event or read an email, but they often aren’t asked to explore the underlying challenges their colleagues face.  “It’s a lack of emotional investment… if it’s just a one time hit, then you get people within the community who can come together for that one moment and really embrace it, but wider emotional investment from other communities… lacks.” - Aidy Smith, TV Presenter, Broadcaster & Neurodiversity Advocate Without emotional investment, behaviour doesn’t change. Attitudes don’t shift. The work evaporates as quickly as the moment passes. Celebration Without Understanding Too often, organisations jump straight to celebration, colourful visuals, themed events, social posts, instead of carving out genuine time to understand the experiences of the people the moment is meant to honour. “Almost nothing sticks in people’s minds if you do it once or for a week or for a month.”  - Kyle Ireland, Head of DEI & People Experience A Pride flag in June means little if LGBTQ+ employees feel invisible the rest of the year. An IWD panel means little if the gender pay gap remains unexamined. A Black History Month campaign means little if leadership pipelines remain unchanged. “Celebrating a cultural or identity difference is a lot different than spending a year understanding the issues that these communities are facing and then working to solve them.” - Jamila Brown, Founder, Light/Work Moments Don’t Fix Systems Calendar activations tend to fall under “culture work” like events, comms, celebrations. However sustainable inclusion comes from the marriage of culture and  structure: policies, reporting, accountability, promotion pathways, representation goals, pay equity, learning systems, and leadership expectations. Most organisations currently pour energy into culture moments because they are tangible and easy to produce. But the deepest issues employees face like discrimination, bias in processes, lack of psychological safety and inequitable progression, require structural change. “There’s a phrase… ‘visibility without protection is a trap.’” - Marty Davies - Founder & CEO Trans+ History Week CIC The Power of Emotional Storytelling Participants shared repeatedly that stories  are what drive connection, empathy, and action, not data points alone. Moments offer an opportunity to tell those stories, but unless the storytelling continues, the emotional connection fades. Marty Davies, founder of Trans+ History Week, described Trans+ History Week as “ a gateway ” , using celebratory and narrative-rich programming to pull people into deeper year-round engagement . Another participant emphasised that people remember stories 20x more than facts alone. Moments should be seen as a spark but they must be connected to something bigger. 2. Barriers That Stop Inclusion From Becoming a Movement Throughout the roundtable, barrier after barrier surfaced. Some were practical, some cultural, some political, others emotional but all impacted the organisation’s ability to create sustained inclusion work. Budget and Resourcing Budget appeared repeatedly, and for good reason: “Budget is everything. It’s the difference between paying lip service to something and an organisation showing that they actually care.” - Tolu Osinubi, Director of Engineering, AI & Data Data Budget is a signal of seriousness . It distinguishes performative talk from sustained commitment. It allows for expertise to be compensated, not exploited. It funds programming, data, learning, and community support. Yet budgets for inclusion work are often non-existent or tied only to calendar moments and centralised within HR without strategic alignment. They’re often viewed as a “nice to have” but not essential, and regularly face cuts in times of financial pressure.  Small organisations, in particular, struggle with where to begin. Participants noted that if budgets truly don't exist, some form of value exchange or in-kind support can be explored  but this must never become an excuse to avoid paying marginalised people for their labour. “Woke Risk” and Reputational Fear Participants spoke candidly about organisational fear: Fear of backlash, negative media attention, doing the wrong thing, and fear of “politicising” the workplace. “Any time I say, ‘We’re just going to add our pronouns policy,’ the anxiety… there is a little bead of sweat going down directors’ heads…” - Inclusion Practitioner in Arts & Culture This fear often leads to paralysis or, worse, the rolling back of previously established inclusion efforts. Even progressive comms teams are feeling this tension. The risk of backlash is real, but participants pointed to an important truth: The reputational risk of not  being inclusive is growing faster. Customers, employees, and the public are increasingly aligned with organisations who act on their values. “There is hesitancy in perceived organisational reputational risk… wondering who’s coming for us next.” - Inclusion Practitioner in Arts & Culture Lack of Data (and Misuse of It) Data is essential for structural change but organisations often: don’t collect it, can’t collect it because there is a lack of trust and/or legal barriers  don’t know how to interpret it, misuse it to defend inaction, lack the confidence to analyse it through an intersectional lens, or fail to include marginalised voices in survey design. Participants warned that data without context becomes dangerous. For example, using national census data to evaluate representation in a London-based company is misleading. Data must be contextualised, comparative, and tied to decision-making . Inclusion Work Is Often Unpaid, Unsupportive, or Invisible “More often than not, the people responsible for doing [inclusion work] are not paid for what they are doing… They’re neurodivergent, LGBTQI+, from underrepresented ethnic communities…” - Aidy Smith, TV Presenter, Broadcaster & Neurodiversity Advocate ERGs, network leads, lived-experience advisors, project teams, and ambassadors often: do the work voluntarily, manage it alongside their full-time job, burn out, face emotional labour without support, or are expected to fix systemic issues without authority. This model is unsustainable and deeply inequitable. Organisational Structure: The Importance of Role Clarity & Accountability  Participants were aligned: When inclusion is not assigned to a clear role or department, accountability disappears. “If DEI is everyone’s job, it’s absolutely no one’s job.” - Inclusion Practitioner in Arts & Culture But where should it sit? Some argued for the CEO. Some for COO. Some for Social Impact, some for Legal, some for People & Culture. Most agreed it requires both : A strategic  function (company-wide influence, connection to business goals, culture shaping) An operational  function (policies, processes, employee guidance, data collection, systems change) “HR’s job is to protect the business… DEI gets caught by that. Decoupling from HR takes away that difficulty.” - Tolu Osinubi, Director of Engineering, AI & Data And a crucial reminder surfaced: Culture is modelled from the top.  If leaders don’t care or appear not to then everything else becomes harder. 3. The Case for Inclusion Must Be Hardwired Into Business Strategy Participants emphasised that inclusion cannot rely solely on morality or ethics, not because those values aren’t important, but because they do not motivate organisational decision-makers at scale. Businesses prioritise revenue, profitability, brand relevance, innovation, talent attraction, talent retention and risk mitigation, but research consistently shows the work of inclusion directly improves every single one of these outcomes. “The priority from leadership is slipping because the pressure externally isn't on anymore. So it's not that they don't care anymore. They know it’s nice to do…but this isn't the most urgent thing that you can come to leaders with. Because often what they are really struggling with is budgets and sales, and this and that and other things.” - Jamila Brown, Founder, Light/Work Examples shared during the discussion included: Employee belonging correlates with higher creativity, decision-making quality, and innovation. Advertising with diverse representation leads to higher sales. Brands that authentically invest in communities improve customer trust and loyalty. Gen Z and younger millennials actively choose organisations aligned with their values. Inclusion improves operational efficiency by decreasing conflict, attrition, and inequities. A more diverse company reaches more diverse audiences, expanding revenue potential. Yet, despite this overwhelming evidence, leaders often fail to draw a clear line between inclusion and business performance.   Inclusion is not a side project. It is not a feel-good initiative. It is a driver of competitive advantage and companies who embrace this will outperform those who don't. 4. What It Takes to Shift From Moments to Movement Throughout the discussion, a set of deeper shifts emerged, shifts organisations must make if they want inclusion to move beyond surface-level activation. A. Move from celebration to purpose A Pride-themed logo change does not create belonging. A Black History Month panel does not challenge structural barriers. A mental health webinar cannot replace meaningful wellbeing support. Purpose comes from: addressing real barriers people face, investing in emotional narratives, making visible what is often invisible, connecting actions to strategy, funding the work year-round. “We spent probably the past three or four years building, both engagement and belonging as our kind of key metrics, because we essentially said, we don't want to be just a diverse organization. We want to be one where everyone inside the organization is reaching similar outcomes for similar performance and then it's determining how we go to each function and actually make that happen and implement that.”  - Kyle Ireland, Head of DEI & People Experience B. Move from reactive to proactive Many organisations treat inclusion like a fire extinguisher, breaking the glass only when something goes wrong. Participants identified that proactive inclusion can look like: transparent policies, ongoing education, thoughtful comms reviews, lived-experience-led design, regular data analysis, positioning inclusion as a business enabler, embedding inclusion into every strategy, not keeping it siloed. Role clarity and accountability  C. Move from safe to brave Participants emphasised that real progress requires: asking bolder questions, naming realities leaders are uncomfortable with, challenging outdated narratives about risk, making non-performative commitments, accepting discomfort as part of the growth process.   “We need to be braver in asking how we can navigate objectives together.” - Aidy Smith, TV Presenter, Broadcaster & Neurodiversity Advocate Three Practical Tips to Transform Moments Into Movements These tips are drawn directly from the insights shared during the roundtable and are intentionally designed to be relevant for organisations of any size, sector, or maturity. 1. Build a Year-Round Narrative Strategy (Not a Calendar Strategy) Stop thinking in months. Start thinking about how to communicate and demonstrate your value proposition through a lens of belonging.   This means: Mapping the stories you want to tell across the year. Ensuring every moment builds on the last, connected by purpose and values. Including emotional storytelling, not just facts. Involving people with lived experience in co-design, not just approval. Linking each story to a business priority (talent, brand, product, culture, revenue). Narratives drive understanding. Understanding drives empathy. Empathy drives action. And action drives behavioural and culture change. “Greater creativity, innovation, and decision-making are all seen in organisations where employees feel a sense of belonging.” - Marty Davies, Founder & CEO Trans+ History Week CIC 2. Start With One Structural Change and Do It Properly Pick one  meaningful structural issue your organisation currently faces and commit to solving it.  Participants shared these examples: Reviewing policies for inclusiveness and modernisation. Introducing a formal mentoring programme supported by leadership. Updating recruitment processes to eliminate bias. Establishing a belonging or engagement metric and measuring it consistently. Formalising ERG roles and compensating them for their labour. Creating company-wide expectations for inclusive communication. “We have to consider not just what the goals are but why we have set those goals." - Jamila Brown, Founder, Light/Work 3. Build Relationships With the Right Internal Stakeholders Participants were crystal clear: Inclusion cannot succeed in a vacuum. We need to identify and build long-term relationships cross-functionally and establish ways to partner. That could include:  Comms: Shape messaging & co-author inclusive communications Finance: Approve budgets, validate ROI, allocate resources Legal & Compliance: Ensure policies are inclusive, safe, and compliant Operations: Embed inclusion into daily workflows & remove blockers Social Impact / ESG: Connect goals to ESG strategy and community impact People & Culture: Embed inclusion across the employee lifecycle & support ERGs Data Teams: Collect, analyse, and interpret inclusion data for decision-making Key Executives: Set tone from the top, champion inclusion and belonging, approve strategic direction When you build relational infrastructure, inclusion work moves faster, encounters less friction, and becomes embedded across the business not isolated within one department. “I think if we're talking about how we convince more senior stakeholders and the C-Suite, how we use data and also contextualize data matters because many don’t know how to interpret it without context.” - Tolu Osinubi, Director of Engineering, AI & Data Conclusion: Moments Are the Spark. Movements Are the Work. This roundtable revealed a truth many practitioners already feel but few organisations fully embrace: Moments matter but only when they are rooted in purpose, fuelled by storytelling, supported by structure, and reinforced all year round. A movement: survives beyond a logo change, transforms culture and systems, distributes responsibility and authority, prioritises emotional connection, invests in the people it serves, evolves with the organisation, and aligns directly with business success. The future of inclusive work requires courage, strategy, emotional honesty, and organisational clarity. It requires leaders willing to be uncomfortable, employees empowered to contribute meaningfully, and practitioners armed with data, narrative, and influence. Calendar moments can be beautiful catalysts but the real transformation comes from what we choose to do the other 11 months of the year. Lead Author: Jon-Paul Vicari Co-Authors: Neil Hudson-Basing and Jua O’Kane Contributors:   Aidy Smith (he/him) - TV Presenter, Broadcaster & Neurodiversity Advocate ( @Sypped and @DisLabeled) Tolu Osinubi (she/her) - Director of Engineering, AI & Data ( @FollowTolu) Kyle Ireland (he/him) - Head of DEI & People Experience ( Substack and LinkedIn ) Marty Davies (she/they) - Founder & CEO Trans+ History Week CIC ( @marjoda and @transhistoryweek) Jamila Brown (she/her) - Founder Light/Work ( @jamilafaye and @wedolightwork) 1 Anonymous Inclusion Practitioner  Moderators:  Neil Hudson-Basing (he/him) Community and Events Director at We Create Space & Jon-Paul Vicari (he/him) Managing Director at We Create Space Location Partner: Soho House  While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here . We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

We explore the importance of integrated wellbeing when building communities. At We Create Space, we see the transformative power of community every single day. When it comes to championing inclusion & creating space in which everyone can thrive, we believe community-building isn’t just a solution. It’s the foundation. We were thrilled to invite Panteres Grogues to join us for the fifth edition of Community Building 101. Hosted by WCS Community & Events Director Neil Hudson-Basing in conversation with Beltran Horisberger and Judith Solanas Sanchez from Panteres Grogues, this instalment focused on the key pillar of ‘Wellbeing’ as a fundamental factor in creating impactful & sustainable communities that provide both a sense of belonging & purpose.  In previous Community Building 101 sessions we have spoken with the teams behind Trans+ History Week , Voda: The LGBTQIA+ Mental Wellbeing App , UK Black Pride and Oogachaga . The objective of Community Building 101 is to provide actionable strategies & tools to promote effective change, collective learning, workplace culture & shared values. It also serves as a talking point for how grassroots principles can be applied in corporate settings and vice versa. We asked our speakers to share their main takeaways from the event: Neil Hudson-Basing Give yourself time, patience & self kindness to start with. Anything physical can be a struggle at first. You don’t have to be the best at something, or even need to improve at all, to enjoy it! Celebrate your wins - whether a small milestone or an epic achievement - with those who are cheering you on! Judith Solanas-Sanchez There is no single way to participate - showing up socially is just as valuable as training or competing. Sport can be an entry point, but relationships, shared moments, and feeling safe are often what keep people coming back. Create spaces where people can connect beyond the activity - community grows in the moments in between. Beltran Horisberger Reclaim play as an end in itself: Movement is a right to enjoy—not an obligation to perform. Inclusive sports clubs act as protective factors for mental health: Safe, affirming sporting environments provide social support, visibility, and community connection that counter the mental health impacts of discrimination. Celebrate everyday victories to build resilience: Recognizing these individual and collective successes strengthens sustainable cultures of care around physical and mental wellbeing. If you would like to discuss booking one of these speakers for your own session, please get in touch with us via email at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here . We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter  so you can stay up to date!

Looking back and reflecting on the projects, events, achievements and community impact that we've had over the course of the last year as a team, collective, and organisation. 2025 marked a key milestone for We Create Space. As we celebrated five years of building inclusive learning spaces, we also laid important foundations for our future as a global hub for talent development, leadership, and community building across our global ecosystem. At the start of the year, we launched our 2025 Community Action Plan , informed by insights from our 2024/25 Community Survey and shaped by the evolving needs of our global network. As a proud social enterprise, our commitment remains to reinvesting profits into free resources, events, and growth opportunities for our community. This report reflects on the progress we’ve made, not only what we delivered, but how those actions strengthened our learning pathways, expanded access, and supported visionary leaders to thrive. 1) We introduced New Learning Pathways for Talent Development. Inclusion | Wellbeing | Leadership In 2025, we redesigned our entire community engagement strategy around three clear learning pathways, each providing structure, guidance, and progression for professionals at every stage of their journey. We integrated these pathways across all events, retreats, online learning, and content. “WCS gave me the confidence to be more vocal about all aspects of my identity, leading to more authentic leadership and advocacy work.” - Sebastian Dalla Ba “WCS has given me the chance to collaborate with like-minded people, exchange ideas, and be part of impactful conversations.” - Cindy Nasenya 2) We shared our Data-Driven Inclusion Insights through WCS | Reports. Building on our DEI Insights and Trends 2025 Report , we continued our commitment to data-driven learning by expanding our research, trend reporting and insight generation to support leaders with creating more inclusive workplaces for diverse talent. Key Impact Highlights: Published 4 new DEI Trend reports focused on Practitioner Wellbeing and Career Sustainability , Leadership Engagement , Tech and Innovation and Global & Local Strategies . Produced a business case for investing in talent development and up-skilling your people. Created a DEI Communications Toolkit 2025 for corporate DEI leaders and internal inclusion advocates with hundreds of downloads.  Strengthened our reputation as a trusted source of intersectional, queer-led insight for organisations. Hosted 2 webinars/events unpacking findings with community and corporate partners. “It felt very reassuring to be in the space with others and honestly discuss some of the narrative and discourse around EDI at the moment.” -   Attendee Feedback from Feb 13 2025 DEI Insights & Trends Event.  3. We Strengthened Professional Networks Through Community Activations. Our community events continued to be a powerful tool for professional and social connection. 2025 saw us experiment with new event formats, tools and interactive methods, both online and in person. Key Impact Highlights: Hosted 74 community events. Connected 2,000+ professionals while centering safety, belonging and intersectionality. Partnered with 8 grassroots organisations to support visibility. Event strands delivered this year: Queer Women in Business Global Speed Networking  WCS x DEI Leaders Roundtables A Space for Dialogue (new series themes) Community Building 101 Queer Leadership 101 Queer Leader Awardee Speed Networking WCS Leadership Collective Speed Networking “Being part of the WCS community and then later becoming a Board member has been incredibly meaningful. It’s given me a space to connect with other leaders, exchange ideas, and amplify my work.” -   Kevin Hawkins 4. Our Retreat Programming focused on LGBTQ+ Leadership and Wellbeing. This year we rebuilt our retreat model from the ground up with an emphasis on rest, leadership, community, and sustainable wellbeing practices. “The retreat has been a beautiful space to come back to learning new skills to self-regulate... Communal care is so important.” -   Jaron Soh Key Impact Highlights: Relaunched Queer Retreats in Barcelona with 6 key themes. Continued hikes and introduced urban mini-retreats as entry points. Strengthened the wellbeing pillar of our talent development strategy. “The retreat really shifted my perspective. I found a safe space in the community and that has meant a lot for me” -   Teresa Lee 5. WCS | Awards became a Global Celebration of Inclusive Leadership. This year, we took the Awards international, recognising LGBTQ+ leaders who are actively building inclusive cultures and communities around the world. What began as a regional initiative has now grown into a truly global celebration, honouring queer individuals and organisations whose work is shaping more equitable futures. “What inspires me most as Awards Director is witnessing the determination of Queer Leaders and organisations who persist in building inclusive spaces, even when the world pushes back. Their leadership is a testament to what collective courage can achieve. It drives me to deepen my advocacy, elevate our mission and honour the extraordinary impact they make every day.” -   Sevi Koppe, WCS Awards Director Key Impact Highlights: Honoured 101 LGBTQ+ individuals and 5 LGBTQ+ organisations across 6 award categories, 21 countries and 5 continents, reflecting the global scale of queer leadership today. Inaugural Honorary Award, presented to Lady Phyll, founder of UK Black Pride. Partnered with 6 organisations, expanding our international network and community reach. Engaged 40 volunteers through the WCS Give Back Programme, supporting global operations and community-building efforts, all year-round. Hosted both online and in-person ceremonies , ensuring accessibility and participation across time zones and geographies. Established the Awards as a core pathway for leadership development, visibility, and community contribution, launching the 12-month Queer Leader Journey as a structured programme for continued growth and engagement. “The WCS Awards provided a much needed space to amplify and uplift the work of people who too often go uncelebrated. It was amazing to connect with so many visionary leaders from across the globe.”  -   Jua O'Kane 6. We Launched WCS | España to Strengthen Local and EU Connections. 2025 marked the official launch of our non-profit association in Spain, expanding our grassroots impact and deepening our work in Barcelona, and across Europe. Key Impact Highlights: Secured 10 partnerships with Spanish organisations, NGOs and community groups, expanding our collaborative capacity and local presence. Welcomed 4 interns focused on training, development and international exchange, contributing to network expansion, improved community experience and the development of new educational programmes. Strengthened regional connections by creating and engaging with a database of over 700 organisations across Europe, fostering opportunities for cross-border collaboration. Delivered 19 local events and initiatives centred on inclusion, wellbeing and community-building for LGBTQ+ people and allies. Opened access to new funding streams, enabling the development of community-led projects and increasing our long-term sustainability within Spain and the EU. “With WCS España, we are strengthening our presence in Europe and creating new pathways for leadership development, inclusion and cross-border collaboration. This launch opens access to EU partnerships, funding opportunities and long-term alliances that will amplify our mission across the region.”  - Sevi Koppe, Director, WCS España 7. UNLOCK Became our Global Platform and Network for Visionary Leadership. UNLOCK evolved into a dedicated home for leadership, mentorship and professional development acting as the bridge between community learning and advanced talent pathways. Key Impact Highlights: Hosted Season 1 of the leadership podcast with 10 episodes . Launched 4 new leadership masterclasses and programmes designed around the 5 Keys Framework to support accessible, practical and embodied skill development. Developed new digital resources preparing queer leaders for 2026 and beyond, including templates, exercises, skill-building modules and leadership guides. “If we don’t have women, queer people, Black people, all kinds of different people at a diverse table, we’re still going to be tailoring products, services, processes and systems that only tend to the needs of a few and not everyone.”  - Letícia Ange Pozza 8. WCS | Campus and WCS | Courses Grew as a Global Community Learning Hub. Our digital space continued to bring people together across borders, fostering connection and accessible learning. Key Impact Highlights: Reached 2,504 members on Campus. 1,142 people took our free LGBTQ+ Inclusion 101 Course. Integrated our new learning pathways into the platform structure. “The explanations in each lesson are the most thorough I have encountered yet. The supplemental videos from external queer voices are outstanding resources to keep coming back to. Thank you for making this course available!” - Feedback from LGBTQ+ Inclusion Course Participant  9. Our Resource Library Supported Continuous Personal Learning and Growth. The library remained a trusted archive for knowledge, resources, and insights. Our content continued to centre under-represented voices, lived experiences and personal storytelling, tools we believe are foundational for building inclusive communities. Key Impact Highlights: Added 100+ new resources and toolkits. Expanded sections on wellbeing, intersectionality and leadership. Integrated curated pathways aligned with 2026 talent development priorities. “I’m grateful to We Create Space for interviewing me when all others fell silent, I felt visible, heard and valued at a time when being a trans ally mattered most. WCS shifted the narrative and reminded me in a climate where silence becomes erasure, being heard affirms existence, protects truth, and lights the way for others.” -  Saba Ali “We Create Space did just that: they created space for us to be heard, during a time when media organisations were focusing on the wrong things. Given the political and judicial events that have negatively impacted the trans+ community this year, allowing us a platform and a voice showed the wider community that hope exists, and that it’s all around us if we make time to listen to one another.” - Eva Echo  10. We Continued Reinvesting in our Community Through Paid Partnerships. As a social enterprise, this remains one of our core impact areas. From inclusion enablement services, leadership development, toolkit creation, team learning experiences like panel discussions, to executive coaching, we’ve supported businesses of all sizes and industries who are values aligned with We Create Space.  Key Impact Highlights: Created 200+ paid opportunities for members of our global collective  Increased our lifetime reinvestment to £1.5m+. Worked with over 45 corporate and community partners to deliver impactful, inclusive activation. "We Create Space has been an invaluable resource to Omnicom Group and has provided thoughtful and powerful insight to programming across our global network.” - David Azulay Looking Ahead to 2026: Building a Global Talent Development Ecosystem. “Our mandate for this next chapter is clear: elevating inclusion from something teams talk about into something the business can rely on to upskill, grow, and retain talent. Our work will focus on the systems, leadership skills, and everyday behaviours that help people grow in their careers, because when people development is prioritised, organisational performance skyrockets.” - Jon-Paul Vicari, WCS Managing Director  In 2026, our work will focus on expanding our Talent Development Framework. This year laid the foundation: clearer pathways, infrastructure, community, insights, and partnerships. Next year, we will deepen the learning journeys for leaders across all levels with measurable outcomes and impact for individuals, communities, and organisations. Creating Space is more than just our philosophy, it’s an ecosystem intentionally designed where everyone has the opportunity to grow, heal, lead and thrive. Thank you for being on this journey with us for the last 5 years and we’re excited to take these next steps together.  While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here . We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Queer, disabled and navigating intimate relationships. Any intimate relationship can be complicated. And being in an intimate relationship as a queer person often presents additional, nuanced challenges and considerations. This becomes even more complex when we introduce the topic of disability into our thoughts around relationships too. In celebration of Disability Pride Month as we explore identities and stories at the intersection of queerness and disability with added depth, Tatum Swithenbank , who has Muscular Dystrophy and Ryan Zaman , who has Cerebral Palsy, reflect on their lived experiences of being queer and disabled in the context of navigating a relationship - and how the dynamic between a disabled partner and a non-disabled partner can sometimes be different than a more conventional queer relationship. It is important to note that this topic is something that neither Tatum nor Ryan have spoken about publicly before, and have never really heard of anyone else talking about either. With this in mind, they hope their insight not only helps others gain a better understanding of this intersection, but that their stories can also resonate with others who share similar circumstances and lived experiences. NB : the term disability can be interchanged with neurodivergence/long-term health condition in this context NB : every situation/relationship is different, and we don’t have a defined answer for everything - please use the content of this article as prompts to consider how things may apply to you/your relationship/your partner(s). Bust the common misconception that disabled people are inherently non-sexual. “As a disabled person, I definitely feel there’s a societal view that disabled people are less sexual than non-disabled people. As a result, a lot of my internalised thinking around sex and relationships growing up was undoubtedly influenced by this perception. This, coupled with the internalised homophobia before coming out, was a cause of a lot of emotion when I was a teenager.” - Ryan “Society’s views of marginalised communities, especially the disabled community, has a massive effect on how we view ourselves. Through constant implications we see in our everyday lives, we are taught that disabled people are worth less , and therefore not as worthy of love.” - Tatum While we all know this view exists, we must consider where it comes from, and what we can do to combat it (not just disabled people, allies too): > Physical ability and appearance has always been at the core of how we view relationships, sex and their viability, since the very beginning of humankind, as we can see with the school of thought around ‘Survival of the Fittest.’ This is only intensified in the technology-led world we live in, and the demand for fast connection through the use of dating apps etc. that is based overwhelmingly on appearance and physicality. For non-disabled people out there: How do we combat this view? > Whilst some people might not be able to do some things the same way (for example, be physically intimate), it doesn’t mean that they don’t want to do them at all. Disabled people are very self-aware, and some of the most adaptive people out there. They problem-solve everyday, navigating a world that is not designed with them in mind. Therefore, if they want to do something, they will find a way (perhaps with the help of others). > The best way to combat the perception that disabled people are not sexual/less worthy of love, ask yourself: ‘If I was disabled, how would I like to be treated?’ The answer is: ‘With the same respect as everyone else!’ Our Leaders also wanted to add, not everything has to be about a deeper connection: disabled people can look for more casual relationships, too. When looking at the people that make up the We Create Space Queer Leadership Collective , a considerable number of people are disabled and/or neurodiverse - a nod to the fact that more than a third of the queer community are disabled - a significantly higher percentage than the straight community (around 22 percent). Recent studies have also found that between 70-80 percent of neurodiverse people identify as part of the queer community. This highlights that discussion on relationships is especially important, as part of the wider conversation on inclusion and accessibility within queer spaces. It takes a lot for disabled people to open their heart up to someone in order to start a relationship. Just like everyone else, disabled people make a lot of their decisions when making new connections based on past experience. The strong prevalence of ableist attitudes in our spaces quite often means that disabled people experience a negative reaction if they choose to disclose their disability to someone they are interested in getting to know intimately. “Because of my bad experiences, I always feel like I’m waiting for someone to let me down, and that stops me from opening up. In the past, I often hesitated to tell people because I didn't want them to make assumptions. My disability is a massive part of my life, and will continue to be, as I have a progressive disease - but I had a fear that’s all people would think about when they saw me. Now, at the age of 29, I don’t have time to hide any aspects of my person. But I am careful about how I communicate with people and picking my moment when I’m getting to know someone new. It’s hard to find that moment though, because society tells us not to give people with disabilities a chance - it takes a lot to open yourself up like that - it never gets easier.” - Tatum “Before I was in a long-term relationship, that fear of rejection from others because of my disability was very real for me. I’m sure a lot of people can relate to that, but the feeling was really strong for me. When I was younger, for the longest time, along with questioning my worthiness of a relationship, this was definitely something that stopped me pursuing any romantic connections at all.” - Ryan One of the most significant obstacles for disabled people is getting to the point where you can freely accept help when you know you need it, and it takes a long time to get to that place: “Even now we probably don’t do it 100% of the time when we probably should. Showing your vulnerabilities is a very hard thing to do for anyone, especially if you don’t know a person that well yet.” - Ryan Reframing mindsets: Disabled partners have as much to ‘give’ to a relationship as non-disabled partners. Again, because of ableist views, and the common depictions of disabled people in mainstream media, a lot of the narrative we see around disability and relationships (and disability in general) is centred around the idea that people with disabilities need a ‘caregiver.’ Of course, this can be the case for some people, however as everything exists on a spectrum, it’s not a case of ‘one size fits all’. Having the mindset that everyone with a disability encounters the same struggles out there can be damaging. There are so many different types of disability, and even when you focus on one condition, people’s experience and how they are affected varies massively. “I have worked so hard on taming my internalised ableism* to tell myself I am worthy of love. Just because I can’t do some things doesn’t mean I don’t contribute to a relationship in other ways. I think we need to move away from this preconception that it is really hard for a non-disabled partner in an inter-able relationship, and they carry a heavier burden - there’s difficulty for everyone involved, just in different ways. If we imagine a relationship as like the sky: sometimes it is clear and sunny - other times there can be a rainstorm. Deep, romantic psychological and sexual connections are complicated and ever-changing.” - Tatum *you can find a definition in our article on 'Helping our disabled friends feel seen, heard and supported' Disabled partners can teach non-disabled partners (and people outside of their relationship) so much over and above simple physical chemistry. Some examples of this are: > How to slow down (both in a physical sense such as when walking, but also in terms of more considered decision-making and forward planning). > The power of empathy in the everyday, and how this facilitates deeper connection. “As disabled people we know what it’s like not to be listened to, so we don’t want to put anyone else through that. In turn, we are great at showing others how to truly be a good listener, be compassionate, and holding space - just as we would like others to do for us.” - Tatum “Pulling your ‘weight’ looks different for each partner and a sense of equality could look different - just because one person does more things around the house, the other could show up differently, by arranging exciting activities etc. This is especially the case when a relationship is more established and you fall into a comfortable rhythm. This is when partners should use their intuition to tell what the other person needs.” - Ryan What are the qualities disabled people look for in their partners? The qualities disabled people might look for in potential partners can be considered as quite similar to what everyone looks for in relationships in general. From a disability perspective though, there is often emphasis on emotional intelligence as a first priority: > A partner who understands the emotional significance of a disabled person being able to open up, when society tells them to keep their struggles to themselves. > "When you have a disability it’s like a full time job - fighting for your rights, paperwork to get support, medical appointments - I need a partner who understands that sometimes I won't have the capacity to spend as much time with them as I want.” - Tatum > A partner who offers the same grace and space that is offered to them. For example, when a disabled partner is in pain, they might snap: “What we need is someone to say, it’s ‘OK, it’s fine - I won’t take it to heart, let’s take a breather.’” - Tatum > A partner who understands that the help goes both ways: “My partners in the past may have helped me carry my bags when I’m on my feet, but when I’m using my wheelchair and we’d go to the supermarket, we put all the bags on my chair, and they sit on my lap and get a ride in the chair if they’re tired.” - Tatum ‘Buffers’: How disabled people can protect their emotional capital when making new romantic connections - especially when using dating apps (we’re sure lots of non-disabled people do this too!). Everyone has different signifiers they use to determine their compatibility with a potential new partner. This could be something as simple as paying attention to how someone treats a waiter, or similarities/differences in political views. First impressions mean a lot and help determine whether we want to open up further to another person. Disabled people consider this when thinking about whether they feel comfortable disclosing their disability (if it’s not immediately visible), or if they want to discuss it further. “I don’t know why, but when you’re dating, especially for men, there’s a weird preoccupation with height - maybe it goes back to all of the physical aspects we’ve talked about. But, I would be open about my height (or lack of it). For people who were not OK with that, it meant I already knew that they probably wouldn’t be that accepting of my disability - something else that’s out of my control. This technique probably saved me a lot of hurt as I didn’t open up to many people who had a negative reaction. Even so, I was dating my boyfriend for a month before I told him about my disability. I also think that it’s worth mentioning for people out there that being short and having a disability doesn’t make me any less of a man.” - Ryan “I always use pictures where you can see my body hair. If someone isn’t into that, they can go ahead and swipe left. I rarely use dating apps - because of the areas that I work in I am privileged enough to be able to make a lot of new connections in-person - but if I do use dating apps, I use a picture of me holding my walking stick, and mention I work in accessibility and inclusion so people can perhaps come to their own conclusion that I have a disability. This way, if I do meet with them, hopefully they have an interest in that too. Yes, it makes them a better ally from the beginning, but you would hope that there would be more of an awareness and understanding from day one.” - Tatum “One of the best ways I would judge how viable a relationship would be or not was to pay attention to how someone I was dating would react if ableist behaviour pointed towards me in public. As disabled people, we are very strong at advocating for ourselves and trusting our judgement when we don’t feel something is right. We’re probably more self-aware than most other people. I also think we can apply this to how we conduct ourselves in our intimate relationships, too - to know when something isn’t how it should be and to be confident in our decision-making process as a result, whether this be breaking up with someone, or encouraging a reframing of boundaries within a relationship.” - Ryan How can non-disabled people show up for their disabled partners? When we are in relationships with a partner, a grand gesture every now and then can be great, but it is often the small things that mean the most. Learning about the little things that can really help your partner (if you are disabled or not) will make a relationship stronger and more meaningful. > Whether it’s paying more attention to the kinds of things to do on dates or the tasks you choose to do around the house, non disabled partners can make a massive difference to a disabled partner’s day to day through small choices/changes. A collaborative approach to things which considers abilities more mindfully is also a win-win! E.g.: “When me and my partner are doing laundry, I’m not that great at standing up and bending down for long periods of time, so I tend to load and unload the machine and hang it up to dry, but he will fold everything and put it away.” - Ryan > “[As a disabled person,] I’m not looking for pity, I’m not looking to be someone’s inspiration - all I’m looking for is some simple acknowledgement that some things are different for me - it doesn’t have to be a big thing. Normalisation is key.” - Tatum > Understand there is nothing sinister around someone cancelling plans if their capacity is limited. > Understand that a disabled partner may experience internalised ableism: “On bad days internalised ableism can overpower my headspace - this can make me think negatively (however non-valid) about if I am a burden on my partner/family. This is where small verbal reassurances are really the most important in a relationship, and understanding the role internalised ableism, either on a simple or more complex level, can play in the thought process of someone with a disability.” - Ryan How do their queerness/disabled identities interact differently with one another depending on who a disabled person is dating/spending time with? “ When I’m dating a cis man, I have these very deep-rooted expectations of how I should behave. I don’t abide my gender norms, and I think this is why my relationships with cis men have fallen apart because they struggle with the fact that I dont live in these binaries. When I’m with queer people, all of those expectations already don’t really apply.” - Tatum “ My attachment to prescribed gender roles have been stronger when I have dated cis-women. What that means for my disability is that I have noticed I am less willing to accept help from a woman (as that’s not “manly” to do). I know this is bad, but everyone is influenced by what society tells us to think. In my relationship with my boyfriend I am a lot more willing to accept help.” - Ryan Communication is key: Tips for those in inter-able relationships. ”One of the biggest causes of a relationship breaking down - no matter who you are - is lack of communication. I mean, we’re always learning and no-one’s perfect. But there’s something about being disabled (or being in a relationship with a disabled person): you’ve got to be forthcoming about your needs. You have to be radical in your communication and I think that’s a gift.” - Tatum When you are new to a relationship > If you want to know more details after someone has disclosed their disability to you, DON’T GOOGLE IT. They know themselves best. > If you would like to know more you could always send them a message a few days later - gives people room to reply in their own time. Ask out of interest without intrusion - give them a reason and say "I care about you and I want to know how best to support you." > Be patient - building a meaningful connection takes time - you don’t have to know everything straight away. > It is important to have a common understanding that severity of physical symptoms and state of mind are very interlinked. > Allow your partner to fully voice their feelings without interrupting or interjecting, even if they're saying something that is difficult to hear. > All partners need to recognise their privilege in different areas. > Acknowledge the difference between sympathy and empathy. > [For non-disabled partners] It’s good to understand external factors have a lot more of an influence on the mood/capacity of someone who is disabled/neurodivergent, so it’s always worth planning ahead where possible. Use The Spoon Theory to talk to your partner about fluctuating energy levels/capacity. When a relationship is perhaps more established > All partners need the emotional intelligence of knowing when to pick up a conversation about something, but also knowing when to drop it. > Nonverbal communication for support is key (if you’re a survivor or if you have a disability - someone could be non-verbal if they are neurodivergent for example) - not everything has to be spoken or heard. There is a lot of power in simply giving someone a look or a nod. > When you or your partner is stressed or struggling with pressure, understand the importance of framing things as ‘support or solution?’ - check-ins are important to see what that person needs. Sometimes people just want a hug (i.e. support), and need a second to process before they start thinking about what comes next (i.e. a solution). > [If you are a non-disabled partner] you need to intuitively switch between supporting someone where they need help, and just simply being their partner. Don’t lose sight of what should be at the core of your relationship, which is love and chemistry - if you lose sight of that, then that isn’t good for your relationship in the long run. So what does all of this mean? The most poignant discovery as a result of these conversations, is that most discussion, whilst centred around queerness and disability, are actually applicable to any relationship - no matter who you or your partner might be. If we see disability as a ‘layer,’ you could replace it with another element such as ‘long-distance;’ ‘difference in financial status between partners’ or ‘polyamory,’ for example. This shows that while we might have different life experiences, we are all human, and more similar than we might think at first glance…

Learn how to adapt and thrive through transition periods in our latest masterclass. Change is inevitable, but transformation is intentional. In this masterclass, Daniel (UNLOCK Queer Leadership Network) shares how every transition in life: moving to a new city, starting a new job, shifting careers, or letting go of an old chapter — can become a powerful catalyst for leadership. Whether you're navigating uncertainty, reinventing yourself, or stepping into a new version of who you want to be, this session gives you tools to adapt, align, and grow with purpose. What you’ll learn in this masterclass: ✔ How to recognise the emotional stages of transition ✔ What alignment really means in leadership ✔ How to turn uncertainty into clarity ✔ How to build confidence when everything around you changes ✔ Why queer leadership has unique wisdom for transitions ✔ Practical tools to ground yourself and lead from authenticity This session is part of UNLOCK, a global initiative empowering the next generation of values-driven leaders. No matter your background or identity, this masterclass shows how change can become the doorway to your next breakthrough. If you would like to discuss booking one of these speakers for your own session, please get in touch with us via email at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here . We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter  so you can stay up to date!

A new global event to recognise, celebrate and amplify Queer Leadership. Challenge the Norm. Lead Differently. Queer leadership has shaped culture, communities, and movements throughout history. But too often, it’s been overlooked, undervalued, or erased. Queer Leadership Week creates a moment in the global calendar to change that. For one week every November, we celebrate, amplify, and develop queer leadership — past, present, and future. We shine a light on voices and ideas that challenge the status quo and reimagine what leadership can be. Now more than ever — in a world facing inequality, crisis, and rapid change — we need leaders who bring courage, creativity, and compassion. Queer leadership shows us how to lead differently. But this week isn’t just for queer people. It’s for everyone. Because leadership, at its best, is about difference — embracing it, learning from it, and letting it transform the way we work, create, and live together. Queer Leadership Week is a rallying call. To queer leaders: keep leading differently. To allies and organisations: learn from us, stand with us, and change with us. To the world: leadership must evolve — and it starts here. Together, we can challenge the norm. Together, we can lead differently. The Vision. Our aim is for Queer Leadership Week to be a globally recognised activation that: 🌍 Celebrates the achievements of queer leaders past and present. 💡 Develops the next generation of leaders through education, events, and campaigns. 🤝 Connects individuals, communities, and businesses through shared programming. 📣 Amplifies queer voices and ideas to inspire systemic change. Core anchors of Queer Leadership Week. Global Activation Campaign: We will provide a toolkit for organisations, allies, and communities to run their own activities such as panels, workshops and social storytelling. Queer Leadership Stories: We will deliver daily spotlights on inspirational Queer Leaders across social media, platforming and celebrating the work they are doing. Collective Commitments: Companies and institutions will be encouraged to announce investments or pledges to support and develop queer leadership. Open Source Learning: Resources, masterclasses, and events led by partners, will be streamed globally, allowing Queer Leaders all over the world to develop their skills. How organisations can get involved. Host a panel, workshop, or storytelling event. Share stories of queer leaders within their organisation. Sponsor scholarships or training for emerging queer leaders. Join the global campaign with aligned comms. Partner with us on flagship programming. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here . We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Somatic therapist Sandra Ljubinkovic shares what Queer Leadership means to her. New for 2025, UNLOCK, powered by We Create Space, is thrilled to introduce 'Queer Leadership 101: Lesson learnt from my journey as an LGBTQ+ change maker’ - Our new online, bite-sized series focusing on change makers and role models creating positive change locally and globally. During each 30 minute session, you'll hear all about our guest speakers' stories as they share more about who they are, what they do & how they show up in the world as a Queer Leader. There will also be an opportunity for questions & discussion. Our guest speaker this month is Sandra Ljubinkovic (she/they). Sandra is a somatic therapist, movement witch, feminist troublemaker, and lifelong learner of how we heal and resist. She works at the juicy intersection of healing systems change, embodied liberation, and political organizing. Think breath work meets decolonization, trauma healing meets dance floor, ancestral wisdom meets queer futurism. She works where systems crack and healing begins — in the messy, magical space between personal transformation and collective uprising. Her practice? A mix of somatics, trauma healing, breath-work, food as resistance, ancestral remembering, and a whole lot of unlearning. If you are someone who envisions yourself as a Queer Leader now or in the future, this is for you! The sessions aim to empower you with insights, inspiration & practical take-aways centred around our core pillars of community building: Inclusion, Wellbeing & Leadership. We hope you can join us as we come together to shine a spotlight on our Queer Leaders & learn, connect & grow as a community. If you would like to discuss booking one of these speakers for your own session, please get in touch with us via email at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here . We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter  so you can stay up to date!

Members of the WCS team share how to practise trans+ solidarity in your personal and professional life. As a global DEI consultancy, community & learning platform, we understand the importance of trans+ solidarity in 2025. Our allyship and support for our trans, non-binary and gender-diverse audiences and clients are embedded throughout our work. We strive to ensure that paid opportunities, representation and visibility are at the forefront of our operations. Standing with our trans+ siblings, particularly at this time, is part of the ethos of what we do, which is brought to life by the commitment, expertise and passion of the We Create Space team. Here they share how they’re showing up for the trans+ community in their day to day professional roles and beyond… Neil Hudson-Basing (he/him) Community & Events Director I’ve harnessed my energy and enthusiasm alongside my professional experience and skillset when it comes to my activism and allyship to trans+ Community.  Through my role as Community & Events Director for We Create Space, I’m dedicated to showcasing the expertise of trans+ folk just as much as asking them to talk about their lived experience. When curating offerings for both our corporate clients and our community, I ensure that trans+ and non-binary representation is factored in to ensure people see themselves in the stories we’re trying to tell through our events and experiences. But my Trans+ solidarity isn’t just limited to my 9-5 day… Outside of work, I’m a huge advocate for volunteering which has seen me undertake the role of Events Director for Trans+ History Week.  Over a third of the 60+ guests on my podcast, Pause. And Rewind…, have been trans+ or non-binary. I consistently platform and provide paid opportunities for trans+ talent at The House of Happiness, the sober rave I co-founded three years ago. I’ve talked on stages and written for publications on the importance of Trans+ inclusive practices & guidance in the events industry. I’ll go out of my way to support numerous trans+ friends, creatives, innovators and organisations, like the Trans+ Solidarity Alliance, in their ventures.  I’ve been in the events industry for almost 20 years and through my lengthy events career, I’ve come to know that the power of impactful storytelling along with a solid grounding in effective logistics and planning can help to create a sense of belonging. As well as making sure that trans+ folk feel seen and celebrated. Tapping into my skillset and strengths has enabled me to demonstrate I’m in this with them. This is my style of allyship. Action and advocacy rooted in love for trans+ community combined with rage at the current landscape they’re experiencing. Jon-Paul Vicari (he/him) Managing Director  In April 2024, I wrote this article “Prioritising Trans Allyship in our Queer Future”   as a call to action for cis queer specifically to elevate their efforts to supporting trans and non-binary people. It’s now November 2025 and there is an even more urgent need to show up as allies. For me, writing is one way to display allyship as it allows me to express my thoughts and create conversations with friends, family, and strangers. Because words have impact, they can change the way we behave, think, and feel about ourselves and the world around us.  Over the last year here are other ways I’ve shown up to support trans+ individuals  in my life:  Reviewed resumes and CV’s to provide feedback and support to trans friends looking for work Referred trans people into roles I saw posted on Linkedin with direct introductions to hiring managers in my network  Donated to trans+ causes when I have had the financial means to do so and shared them on social media  Marched in London Trans+ Pride Educated myself by using the Trans+ History Week workbook and reading books and articles by trans+ authors Prior to We Create Space, I spent over 8 years in the Talent Acquisition, Recruitment Marketing, and Employer Branding space and being able to use that knowledge to be an ally is wonderful. Sharing your expertise to help someone is allyship. Platforming someone's event or fundraiser is allyship. Big and small actions are allyship. My path to inclusion is paved by actions of all measures. Jua O'Kane (they/he) Marketing Manager Through my work at We Create Space I aid in platforming trans+ voices, overseeing the production of content which platforms trans+ perspectives and diversifies how trans_ experiences are represented. From trans+ professionals in the corporate world to grassroots activists and legal advocates, it is essential that we celebrate and platform the work of the trans+ community. Within my personal art practice I also do my best to challenge how trans people are commonly represented in media and depict the scale of diversity within the trans+ community. Outside of my role at We Create Space I am also the Communications Director of my local trans pride, where I am utilising my professional skills and design background to create a strong local base for our community. As a core committee member of the organisation, we work hard to create paid opportunities for local trans creatives, whether that is through designing merch for us, performing or selling their work at our events. As a white, able-bodied transmasculine person, practising trans+ solidarity for me is often about doing what I can to support and centre the experiences of trans+ people who are more intersectionally marginalised than myself: Working to make Trans Pride Plymouth's events as accessible as possible. Donating to trans healthcare fundraisers. Educating myself on the perspectives of trans+ people who are racialised, disabled, neurodivergent or otherwise marginalised. Challenge bigotry as it occurs in our communities, especially transmisogyny. Sharing job opportunities and resources with other trans+ people. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here . We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!