Paradox: A seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true.
Leadership is rife with paradoxes, competing claims, countervailing pressures, and conflicts. There is frequently a “thesis” and an “antithesis” in leadership dilemmas, often requiring a “synthesis.” Here are some leadership paradoxes and other interesting dualities we have learned:
- Serving followers and being served by followers
- Flexing between the hard (steel) and soft (velvet) edges of leadership
- Being optimistic while staying grounded in reality
- Having confidence and humility
- Being decisive and collaborative
- Protecting people and taking necessary “casualties”
- Being in charge and unleashing other leaders
- Getting results (ends) with integrity (means)
- Preserving the best of the past and embracing change
- Making some lonely decisions and being connected
- Asking and telling
- Speaking and listening
- Being patient and impatient
- Knowing answers and asking questions
- Being strong and vulnerable
- Protecting power and empowering others
- Controlling and letting go of control
- Being competent yet always committed to continual learning
- Raising expectations and lowering expectations when necessary[1]
- Leading and following
- Using reason and emotion
- Being reflective and quick to act
- Using masculine and feminine approaches
Bob Vanourek and Gregg Vanourek are leadership practitioners, teachers, trainers, and award-winning authors. They are co-authors of Triple Crown Leadership: Building Excellent, Ethical, and Enduring Organizations, a winner of the International Book Awards, and called “the best book on leadership since Good to Great.” Take their Leadership Derailers Assessment or sign up for their newsletter. If you found value in this, please forward it to a friend. Every little bit helps!
[1] Thanks to Harvard’s Ron Heifitz for this insight. Sometimes leaders need to lower the expectations of followers to a more realistic and achievable level.
