As a Head of Delivery at Skewb Climate, I spend a lot of time looking ahead. Planning is second nature, timelines, milestones, delivery risks, dependencies, stakeholder needs. It’s a role built around foresight. But in the constant pursuit of what’s next, I’ve learned that the most critical part of delivering lasting impact lies in something deceptively simple: being present.
Yes, being present.
It’s an odd thing to say when you live by roadmaps and delivery schedules. But the truth is, our best work at Skewb comes when we choose to be fully in the moment.
Planning Ahead, Listening Now
To deliver exceptional service, our clients rely on us not just for expertise but for empathy and insight. And insight doesn’t come from a project plan. It comes from conversations. From really hearing what a client is saying. What they care about. What worries them. And sometimes, what they don’t quite know how to ask for.
I’ve found that the only way to tap into those insights is to press pause on what I think I need to deliver next week and pay attention to what’s in front of me now. That means walking into a meeting not just with an agenda, but with the intent to listen to people, to nuance, to the subtle, often unspoken truths that sit behind every decision.
That’s not always easy in our line of work, where outcomes are king and the clock ticks loudly. But it’s necessary. It’s how we deliver more than just a project; it’s how we deliver lasting value.
Being Present in the Room: RAF Disaster Relief Workshops
This summer term, our Skewb Climate team had the incredible opportunity to deliver on behalf of the RAF Youth STEM team RAF Disaster Minecraft modules in schools. These sessions were designed to engage students with real-world scenarios bringing STEM, logistics, and teamwork to life in the classroom.
But what struck me most wasn’t just the quality of the content or the logistics behind the delivery. It was the feedback from the students and the teachers that reminded me of the power of being present.
One student said:
“I can’t believe we’re doing this in school—this is so fun!”
Another added:
“This doesn’t feel like a lesson, it’s so fun I like working as a team.”
The teacher’s feedback echoed that sentiment, telling us:
“The delivery was excellent! the children were fully engaged, the session was so well organised, and it really brought the subject to life.”
Those kinds of comments don’t happen by accident. They happen because our team showed up fully, not just as deliverers of content, but as facilitators, listeners, and connectors. We paid attention to the children, adapted in the moment, and created space for them to participate meaningfully. That’s presence. And that’s where real impact begins.
Presence at the Heart of Skewb
At Skewb Climate and across Skewb’s broader portfolios, we talk often about integrity, citizenship, and impact-driven outcomes. But these aren’t just principles we write on the wall. They’re actions we take every day, in every meeting, in every community setting.
Being present means giving our colleagues our full attention during a catch-up call. It means noticing when a client is hesitating before they commit to an idea. It means showing up fully for the people we work with and serve.
A Daily Discipline Worth Practicing
Being present is not a one-time decision but it’s a discipline. And in a role that naturally pulls me toward the future, I’ve learned that presence isn’t in conflict with planning – it’s what makes the plan work!
Because no matter how strong our strategy or how detailed our Gantt chart, it’s the human moments that move things forward. It’s the trust we build when we’re listening. The energy we unlock when we’re engaged. The impact we leave when we’re truly there.
So yes, I’ll keep planning. But I’ll also keep reminding myself and encouraging other to be here. Now. Because that’s where the magic really happens.
By Susan Sharp
Susan Sharp is Head of Delivery at Skewb. To speak with her about this topic in more detail, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.
