Each and every week the Square Holes team are deep in the bowels of a number of projects, working to mine all of the insights that we can to help grow businesses and support thriving cities.

Businesses and organisations use these insights to innovate their offerings, move into new markets, track their impact, and hone their products and output. Each week we will be sharing a broad insight that we have learnt for you to use in your own work.

Let us know what you find valuable!

Dylan: A sense of purpose

We’ve been doing some research recently for a tertiary education provider, speaking with students about their experiences, motivations and aspirations.

Something that’s stood out to me is just how purposeful many of these students are in their learning. They’re working towards something tangible, whether that’s starting a new career, improving in their current role, developing practical skills or pursuing something they’re passionate about. For many, studying comes alongside work, family and other commitments, yet they’re willing to make those sacrifices because they have a clear goal in mind.

It’s been a good reminder of the importance of having a sense of purpose in what we do. When you know what you’re working towards, the effort and challenges along the way become easier to manage. A sense of purpose and direction is sometimes just as important as the skills and knowledge provided through learning.

Mahalia: If you build it…

I’ve unfortunately gone without in my life, while waiting for someone else to create the spaces I want to be a part of. I’ve joined in on the chorus of people complaining about a lack of so-and-so space, without ever lifting a finger to make change. I never really saw myself as a leader, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realised that there isn’t one mould that fits all leaders. The difference is someone willing to just get started. Now when I feel like there is a lack in community, I look at how I can fill it. And I can confirm that my life has gotten richer in the process. So if you want it, build it!

Jason: Don’t delay

A theme emerging from some of our current research interviews is that, in challenging sectors and tricky times, the biggest risk may be avoiding making big decisions.

After prolonged pressure, people can become punch-drunk. Every choice feels consequential. Decision fatigue builds, confidence wears thin, and the prospect of getting something wrong becomes petrifying. Standing still starts to feel safer.

Yet the world keeps moving. Customers change, costs rise, opportunities pass, and problems accumulate. Delaying a decision has consequences too.

There is a useful principle here: we do not always need certainty before taking the next step. A considered, manageable decision can create the information and confidence needed for what may come after. Move forward, learn, adjust. Progress becomes a way of finding clarity.

Some decisions deserve more time, particularly when they are difficult to reverse. But many can be tested on a smaller scale, with room to change course. The question becomes: what can we decide now that will help us learn and move forward? Research, like the work we do, provides such clarity, sometimes fast and other times slow, aka system 1 and 2 thinking.

For leaders, this also means creating an environment where people feel supported to make decisions and adjust as they learn.

Don’t panic. Decide. Move forward. Learn. Shift.

Square Holes is a cultural insight studio.

We design mixed method explorations of people and culture beyond the category,  uncovering the patterns, tensions and shifts shaping behaviour to inform strategy, inspire innovation and enable confident decisions. Our studio model brings together the right mix of thinkers, researchers and specialists for each exploration. If you’re navigating change, entering a new market, or seeking deeper understanding of people and culture, let’s start a conversation >