Becoming a Stronger Leader - Reflections of A Time to Think by Nancy Kline

Nancy Kline’s A Time to Think is one of my favourite reads from this year’s haul.  It is one of those books that can completely shift your approach to leadership, no matter if you're just starting out or if you’re an experienced leader. At its heart, it’s about creating a space where people can truly think for themselves to unlock brilliance. But it’s much more than that—it’s a guide to how you can foster better thinking for yourself, your team and lead through change more effectively. 

However, critical to implementing these lessons is the understanding that thinking IS actual work. In a culture where we seem increasingly impelled to increase our personal productivity; delivering more, better and faster, we can be forgiven for believing that time set aside for thinking, debating and listening is a non-essential luxury. 

Quite the opposite!  I love that this book encourages practising and becoming adept at good quality thinking, both as individuals and as teams, and insists it is essential to produce better outcomes!  

6 highlights I have taken from the book and reflected on how you can put them into practice: 

1. Create a Thinking Environment – it fosters brilliance 

Kline’s main argument is that for people to do their best thinking, leaders need to create what she calls a "Thinking Environment." This means actively listening, encouraging open dialogue, and making sure everyone feels valued and able to speak freely. 

How to apply it: Whether you’re running a meeting or having a one-to-one, do 2 things well - give each person your full, undivided attention and let them finish their thoughts without interruption.  This builds trust and makes people feel heard and that their contributions really matter.  This can have a seismic impact on your relationships.
 

2. Quality Attention is Key 

Kline recommends that the quality of our attention directly impacts the quality of others' thinking. When you truly listen—without distractions or rushing to solve a problem—you allow the other person to think more clearly and deeply, which is to mutual advantage. 

How to apply it: In practice, this might mean slowing down in conversations, which can feel counter – intuitive when your diary is back to back and there are deadlines to hit!  But give it a go anyway. Put down your phone, make eye contact, and listen fully. In a team setting, when someone brings up a challenge or idea, resist the urge to jump in with a solution. Instead, ask open-ended questions like, "What else is on your mind?" or "How do you think we could address that?"  

3. Pause for Reflection, Especially in Times of Change 

In today’s fast-paced work environment, leaders often feel the need to make decisions quickly. But Kline reminds us that pausing for thought can lead to better outcomes, especially when managing change. Giving yourself and your team space to reflect often leads to more considered and effective solutions.  When we rush into brainstorm ideas Klein argues that we only surface the easiest to access ideas from the loudest people in the room, thus not tapping into the deeper thought and experience from those less vocal. 

How to apply it: During times of organisational change, instead of rushing through decisions, set aside time for individual and team reflection. This could be as simple as having regular 'think-ins' where the focus is on thinking things through rather than ticking boxes. Encourage your team to reflect on what’s working, what’s not, and what they need to move forward. 

4. Promote Equality and Diversity of Thought 

Kline argues rightly so that all voices should be valued equally in the thinking process. Leaders need to create spaces where people of all roles and backgrounds can contribute, which leads to more innovative and robust solutions. Diversity isn’t just about background and experience, it’s about encouraging different ways of thinking and seeing the world. 

How to apply it: During team discussions, ensure everyone has the chance to speak, not just the loudest voices or senior members. Encourage quieter members to contribute by specifically inviting their views. Also, foster a culture where differing opinions are seen as valuable towards good quality debate rather than disruptive. You might rotate leadership roles in meetings to hear different perspectives and broaden the range of ideas in the room. 

5. Know How to Get Unstuck 

This is my favourite piece from the whole book! Acknowledging the times when thinking stalls, whether due to a lack of ideas, feeling overwhelmed, or hitting a dead end. Kline offers strategies for getting ‘thinking’ back on its feet again by asking the right questions and re-engaging the team’s thought process. 

How to apply it: When a conversation or brainstorming session seems stuck, try asking fresh, open-ended questions like, “What are we assuming that is stopping us?”, “What’s holding us back?” or “If we had no constraints, what would we try?”  When you know what is holding you back – remove it for the purpose of the next stages of thinking and see what happens!  It is a masterstroke – and I love using it in 121 coaching too! 

You can also change the format of the conversation—switch locations, work in smaller groups, or introduce a break. Shifting the context can re-energise the group and lead to new insights. 

6. Allow Time for Deep Thinking 

One of the most powerful lessons is the need to prioritise thinking time, especially for new Leaders. Too often, we rush to solutions without giving ourselves or our teams enough space to think things through properly or without the full picture of information. Kline reminds us that setting aside time to think results in better, more sustainable solutions - it really should be part of the job! 

How to apply it: Create dedicated time in your schedule—and encourage your team to do the same—for uninterrupted thinking. This might mean blocking out an hour each week for reflection or asking the team to spend a few minutes quietly thinking at the start of a meeting. Don’t fear moments of silence in meetings; they often precede great ideas. An old boss of mine used to send me out to Art galleries for some thinking time and inspiration - its amazing the power a different location can have on how we process and think. 

Final Thoughts 

Whilst adding more time into an already packed week feels like just another thing on the to-do list, I urge you to give this a try and commit to better thinking.  It is genuinely a case of “time invested is time well spent”.  

For leaders, this book offers practical ways to improve your leadership through the power of thinking.  By creating an environment where people feel valued and listened to, encouraging reflection, and giving space for diverse perspectives, you can not only navigate change more effectively but also help your team thrive. 

Whether you’re leading a small team or managing large-scale change, Kline’s approach can transform how you lead, ensuring that your team is empowered to think, innovate, and adapt. 

It’s a Becoming Stronger MUST READ for the modern leader.