In one of our Sandbox Centre Leadership Peer Groups, Paul Boken, LC, IALD, and CEO of Sourcery, introduced a concept that continues to resonate with me: “Lowering the Yes.”
At its core, this principle is about removing unnecessary barriers so collaboration can happen faster and with greater impact. Too often, organizations unintentionally make it harder to say “yes.” We overcomplicate onboarding, stall projects with excessive approvals, or create systems that hinder rather than help.
But innovation thrives when we eliminate friction and build trust. When people feel empowered to engage, share ideas, and act quickly, creativity accelerates, and meaningful partnerships take shape.
Since that discussion, I’ve been reflecting on where I might be making things harder than they need to be. Am I creating space for collaboration, or unintentionally slowing it down? “Lowering the Yes” challenges each of us to rethink how we design our teams, our decision-making, and even our daily interactions.
Thank you to Paul for the mindset shift—and to the Sandbox community for continually inspiring new ways to connect, collaborate, and lead.
