The Invisible Space That Stops Flow in Teams

What if the way we make decisions could actually strengthen collaboration and reduce friction over time? 

Most teams have solid systems in place. Work is visible, meetings are scheduled, priorities are more or less clear, and people know what they are responsible for. And still, flow often stops. When that happens, we usually try to fix the outside. We add structure, clarify goals, improve processes, and revisit priorities. Decisions are made about what matters most. The challenge is that many things matter at the same time.

Each team or function has its own main responsibility, while depending on the same people to deliver the work. From the outside, it can look coordinated. From the inside, it often creates tension. Once decisions are made and priorities are set, we expect things to move more smoothly. But when everything is already in motion, they often do not.

Across teams, shared prioritisation is weak. People are measured on their own results, not on outcomes across the organisation. Without noticing it, prioritisation can start to feel like a ranking of roles, relationships, or importance. And this is rarely talked about.

Interests remain unspoken. Concerns are held back. Loyalty pulls in different directions. Not because people do not care, but because they fear that disagreement might damage the relationship. This creates an invisible tension between responsibility, loyalty, and what needs to be said.

And that tension stops flow.

When we do not address this invisible, relational side of the organisation, decisions do not become anchored. They are moved rather than owned. Execution slows down, friction increases, and work has to be revisited again and again.

What is needed is not more structure, but a space where honesty feels safe. A space where resistance can be expressed, interests can be shared openly, and ownership can emerge naturally. A way of making decisions that strengthens collaboration and reduces friction and rework.

When the invisible space between people is given attention, decisions become easier to land and easier to stand by over time. This is not an individual problem. It is a pattern. It is a pattern I often work with in tailored workshops, when teams and leadership groups need decisions that actually create momentum.

If this resonates, you can explore how I work, upcoming webinars, or reach out for a conversation here: From Openness to Collaboration and Flow