They don’t make literal sense but they work, and they work well.
In the realm of leadership we’ve managed to avoid the paradoxes up until a few years ago when we realised that we’ve exhausted the easy ways to be better…we’ve sped up as much as we can humanly sustain, we’ve offshored, outsourced and optimised our processes. We’re exploring AI and new technology solutions of course but these are harder to implement and take longer.
So we need to consider how we work with the paradoxes and use them to guide our awareness and how we lead. Where we pay attention, how we expand our awareness and when we need to adapt to get the best out of a situation.
Some examples of where we need to embrace the paradox include:
Working at a macro level and going into micro detail.
Running the business while changing the business.
Encouraging autonomy and collaboration.
Thinking strategically and operating tactically.
Embracing innovation while offering stability.
Being transparent while maintaining confidentiality.
Empowering others and controlling outcomes.
Modelling confidence and showing vulnerability.
Delivering more and spending less.
Expecting more while encouraging balance and boundaries.
Some of the best leaders are already doing this, and they make it look easy, because, when you figure out how, it isn’t that hard. The trouble is that you won’t just magically wake up one morning with the skills, you need to work on them, over time, ongoing, unrelentingly.
This is why leadership is more complex than ever…it’s not just a matter of learning new theories, processes, skills…it’s about applying them in practice, embodying them, making mistakes and getting better over time. This is something you master, not just something you do.
And so the first shift you need to make to work with the paradoxes is to stop ‘doing’ and start ‘being’. Take the opportunity to get out of the weeds and stand above the garden…take the time to look at what’s going on and where you might need to give focus.
Figure out what your own learning journey looks like and make the room to bring it to life.
The leadership environment will continue to evolve and if you don’t get on board, you will get left behind…and so will your team.
If you’d like to have a chat about what embracing the leadership paradox looks like for you and your leaders please reach out for a conversation here.
Shelley 😁
Shelley Flett
Leadership Trainer, Facilitator & Coach | Shelley Flett Pty Ltd
M: 0407 522 888 | E: shelley@shelleyflett.com | W: shelleyflett.com
