Built for Uncertainty: Why Coworking Leaders Thrive in the Unknown
How local space operators can stay emotionally sustainable in a constantly shifting world of work
Running a neighbourhood coworking space is a constant dance with the unknown.
From changing member needs and rising costs to navigating funding, community expectations or political uncertainty, the work is never static. But here’s something we don’t say enough in our industry:
Uncertainty isn’t the enemy, it’s the job and when we learn to move with it rather than against it, we unlock resilience that lasts.
I used to think I hated risk and did everything I could to avoid it…
When I moved from London to Ireland without knowing anyone but my husband and opened a coworking space in 2012 (long before it was a familiar concept here), I thought I was risk-averse.
Then came Brexit.
Then a collapsed Stormont government in Northern Ireland.
Then a global pandemic having to navigate through 3 different jurisdictions – UK, NI & ROI
All while running a purpose-led business from a Northern Ireland border town.
I now realise I wasn’t avoiding risk I was building capacity for uncertainty and that’s what local coworking operators do every day, whether we realise it or not.
Coworking leadership is ecosystem work, naturally evolving.
At a recent RSA event on “How to thrive in uncertain times”, author Margaret Heffernan said something that really landed:
“Uncertainty isn’t a flaw in the system. It is the system.”
She described how creatives - artists, writers, musicians don’t wait until they have all the answers. They start with a fragment, not a finished plan. That’s where the real breakthroughs happen.
This really landed with me because let’s be honest that’s how we build our spaces too. Through trial, listening and constantly tweaking through relationships, not rigid strategy.
We’re not just managing desks.
We’re tending to people, patterns, and possibilities often all at once.
Lessons from the Gardens by the Bay
RSA panelist Andrew Grant shared his experience designing Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay a visionary, collaborative project grounded in ecological diversity.
That metaphor is perfect for what we do.
Like a garden, your space thrives through:
Interactions between diverse people and ideas
Creative adaptations
Trusting growth even when the outcome isn’t fixed
Coworking especially in smaller, independent spaces isn’t just commercial property. It’s a living system of care, creativity and co-navigation and it needs nurturing.
What emotional sustainability really looks like
After years of building relationships with micro business owners and leading my own space, I’ve learned that staying in this work long-term requires more than strategy. It requires emotional sustainability.
Here’s what that can look like for people like us:
Pausing before reacting
Building systems that protect your energy
Creating alliances, not going it alone
Letting your gut and creativity lead sometimes
Valuing your humanness as a business asset, not a liability
You’re not just running a space, you’re holding space and that’s brave, invisible work most of the time.
You’re not falling behind you’re adapting.
Actor and activist Josette Bushell-Mingo shared this at the same RSA event:
“Some of the most important work is unseen, it happens in quiet reflection, grief, and creative tension.”
That’s what we’re doing when we:
Hold space for a member who’s struggling
Make the tough call to pause a project
Reimagine our offer because it no longer fits the community
If you’ve felt like you’re tired, off-track or losing steam you’re not failing, you’re being asked to evolve and it’s okay to ask for support too.
💬 Feeling the weight of it all? You’re not alone.
If you’re a local coworking operator or small space leader carrying a lot - decision fatigue, burnout, or just the constant pressure to hold it all together let’s create space to reset.
I’m offering a handful of free Clarity Calls this month.
Just a quiet space to talk things through and explore what sustainable support could look like for you.
You’re not just running a business, you’re nurturing something vital in your community and that deserves to be supported.