Writing about open & equitable product development

Making space

Every space starts the same way:

Silence.

At this point there’s only one thing to do:

Remain quiet, and listen.

Eventually, someone’s gonna say something.

Be seen.

Be heard.

But there’s no rush.

When in doubt, wait.

Do nothing; merely observe.


I love this stage of any new space.

It may be a space you and I are inhabiting in a physical sense.

But much more commonly nowadays, it’s a virtual space of some sort.

Like a room in some chat platform. A personal message.

This moment when nothing has yet to be said is a thing of beauty.

From the vantage point of silence, there is infinite possibility.

In silence, there’s no judgement, no otherness, no separation.

It’s just us, inhabiting this space together, with all the time in the world.

In this nascent stage of a space,

past, present and future have no bearing on your character.

What parts of your current self will you choose to bring forth into existence?

What part of your character can you offer up as a gift, rather than a threat?


We’ve opened up this space for the two of us to discover our common ground.

That’s the hard part already over and done with.

We made the connection.

Now we may learn how to best relate to one another.

Beginning with silence.