From Classroom to Conference Room: How Environment Shapes Potential

This morning, I enrolled my daughter in a new school. We genuinely love her current school—it has a strong sense of community, great teachers, and a culture we value deeply. But despite all that, she’s not thriving there.

She’s fiercely independent and incredibly creative, and the traditional structure—no matter how well-intentioned—has required her to work extra hard just to fit into the mold. Her new school follows a Montessori approach: self-directed, tactile, and hands-on. It gives her space to explore, room to think, and the chance to lean into her natural curiosity.

Watching her light up at the idea of this new environment got me thinking: How often do we reflect on the environments we work in? And are we creating the right conditions for ourselves and our teams to truly thrive?

The Work–School Parallel

When I reflect on the places where I’ve felt most energized and grown the most professionally, the pattern is clear:

• Clarity around shared goals

• Freedom to experiment (and fail without fear)

• Supportive leaders and teams

• Exposure to diverse perspectives and skillsets

• Just enough challenge to stretch outside the comfort zone—without tipping into overwhelm

Those environments were engaging, often a bit messy, and sometimes intimidating—but they were always stimulating. Just like the Montessori model gives students permission to explore, the best workplaces encourage curiosity, challenge, and independent thinking.

Simple Adjustments, Lasting Results

Here’s something worth considering:

If you had to pinpoint the single most motivating factor that drives your best work—or your team’s best work—what would it be?

Now ask yourself: Does your current environment support that?

On the flip side: What’s demotivating to you or your team right now?

Is that obstacle structural (e.g., outdated processes, arbitrary HR rules), or cultural (e.g., fear of failure, lack of autonomy)? If it’s fixable—and often it is—what small shift could create an outsized impact?

Small Tweaks, Big Returns

Often, it’s not a major overhaul that makes the difference. It’s a few well-placed changes:

• Granting more autonomy over how work gets done

• Re-evaluating policies that add friction without value

• Encouraging exploration instead of punishing mistakes

• Creating space to think—not just execute

These small adjustments can be the difference between a team that survives and one that thrives.