by Dr. Laurie Cure, CEO of Innovative Connections and author of “Leading without Fear“
Today’s business landscape is busy, rapidly evolving, and consistently pulls leaders in opposing directions. Modern business leaders must be able to pivot quickly and adjust to whatever is thrown at them, which can lead to weakened confidence and burnout in many cases.
Striking a balance between innovation and stability, speed and quality, and their individual needs and organizational priorities is a critical success factor. These are not outlying issues, but modern-day paradoxes that all leaders must grapple with. Embracing the paradox that lies within leadership is a pathway to ultimate success in your leadership role.
Why paradox is natural and necessary
Organizations are dynamic, multifaceted places that require many layers to operate efficiently. When competing demands on leadership exist, paradoxes are bound to arise.
For example, good leaders must be globally minded yet locally focused, or they need to manage structure while maintaining flexibility — factors that enable them to manage both extremes and utilize them to strengthen their organizations. These seeming polarities fill a leader’s world, and the complexity of the issues is expanding.
Rather than resisting the paradoxes that exist within leadership roles, leaders should lean into them and harness the power of being able to juggle competing demands. Only by building a strong foundation where one can embrace paradoxes can one become an effective, change-making leader. This leadership capability also enables more comprehensive and systemic decision-making.
By shifting one’s mindset around paradoxes, the multifaceted nature of one’s position becomes less of a burden and more of a natural part of any leadership role.
From competing demands to opportunities for growth
A truly effective leader knows how to leverage the paradoxes they face and turn them into opportunities for growth and innovation. Leaders skilled at this can unlock new possibilities within the organization by anticipating paradoxes and preparing themselves and their team to pivot as needed.
Great leaders can hold space for conflicting priorities simultaneously, whether it’s figuring out how to make a product quickly and with high quality or balancing rapid organizational scaling with maintaining strict operational standards. Many notable business leaders refuse to take an “either/or” stance on paradoxes, instead adopting a “both/and” mindset that enables them to balance bold, innovative choices with robust quality and financial control, which is crucial for long-term business success.
One shining example of the “both/and” mindset is former LEGO CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, who took over the struggling LEGO company in the early 2000s. LEGO had been operating under an “either/or” mindset for years, swinging between quality and innovation, with neither extreme being sustainable. Knudstorp ushered in a dramatic new era for LEGO, introducing intentional balance between quality and innovation, allowing LEGO to rediscover its roots that made it a household name.
By embracing paradoxes and organizational approaches that allow for honoring diverse input, maintaining quality, and acknowledging issues that need to be fixed, leaders can turn possible tension into opportunities for growth.
How to have a both/and mindset and use paradoxes to your advantage
Harnessing the power of paradoxes and becoming a leader who embraces the concept of “both/and” can be easier said than done for most people. While not everyone has a natural ability to think of everyday stressors as positive motivators, those in leadership positions should adopt a dual mindset.
Instead of compartmentalizing paradoxes, leaders should accept that opposing ideas can coexist within organizations, and that they always will, no matter how hard they try to separate them. Leaders also need to be strategic with their planning, learn to set clear boundaries, and recognize that leadership within an organization is a marathon, not a sprint, requiring sustainable habits to achieve success. Using polarity mapping and other tools can support leaders in proactively navigating paradoxes and using them to their advantage.
By engaging in adaptive decision-making, leaders know when to move forward toward innovation and growth, and when to pause thoughtfully and consider their next moves. Too much of one or the other can create stagnant inaction or carelessness, leading to poor decision-making.
Leaders must also foster a work environment that welcomes diverse viewpoints. Embracing paradoxes means discarding all-or-nothing sentiment. If a wealth of different ideas is welcomed, the positive benefits of paradoxes can thrive.
We are living in a time of rapid change for organizations. Leaders who recognize the paradoxes within the business landscape and embrace them can turn them from a potential problem to a dynamic positive. By approaching leadership with the right mindset, one can lead their organization forward and become a model of confidence for their team.
As seen in Fast Company, Business Insider, and BuiltIn, Dr. Laurie Cure, Ph.D., a leading voice in emotions, fear, and psychological safety, serves as the CEO of Innovative Connections. With a focus on consulting in strategic planning, organizational development, talent management, and leadership, Dr. Cure’s expertise in change management and culture evolution empowers her clients to achieve organizational success by enabling them to discover and release their human potential. She is the author of “Leading without Fear“, a book that addresses workplace fear.