Navigating Paradoxes: A Leader's Greatest Balancing Act

Paradoxes are the uninvited guests at the leadership table. They linger in the tension between short-term wins and long-term vision, between being vulnerable and appearing strong, between empowering others and maintaining control. Ignore them, and they’ll dominate your team’s dynamics. Embrace them, and they’ll offer a pathway to creativity, growth, and resilience.

The key to navigating paradoxes is a mindset shift from "Being right to Making right." As Ennio Salucci eloquently said, "We are either justifying our intentions or managing our impact. Either we are being right or making right." This shift is less about resolving contradictions and more about discerning what is called for in the context of our vision against the current reality. Let’s explore the six keys to navigating paradox.

Accepting Ambiguity

Paradoxes aren’t problems to solve—they’re tensions to manage. But let’s face it, most of us crave clarity. The trick is resisting the urge to formulate your responses to challenges that arise. Out of survival leaders often blindly pick a side of a paradox that is familiar to them and dogmatically apply it to every situation.

Example:

A visionary leader balances confidence with humility. Overconfidence alienates the team; too much humility erodes trust in your leadership. The mature leader will embrace ambiguity by articuatig their confident in the vision but standing open to hearing where they have missed the mark.

Why It Matters:

This tension lies at the heart of emotional maturity. Executives comfortable with ambiguity can hold space for both structure and creativity—a skill critical for driving innovation without sacrificing accountability.

Managing Inner Conflict

Paradox lives not just in strategy rooms but also in your own psyche. To navigate it, you’ll need to face your biases, fears, and assumptions.

Example:

A high-performing leader might struggle between their need for control and their desire to empower others. Control says, “I’ll review every decision.” Empowerment whispers, “Step back and let your team rise.” Both have merit, but neither works in every situation.

Why It Matters:

Self-awareness isn’t a buzzword—it’s a survival skill. Leaders must embrace internal conflict as a mirror reflecting growth areas. Let’s be honest: unresolved inner tension doesn’t stay private; it leaks into boardrooms and team huddles.

Balancing Competing Demands

Balancing short-term performance and long-term sustainability isn’t glamorous, but it’s necessary. Visionary leaders manage competing demands without caving to the pressure of “either/or” solutions.

Example:

Imagine leading a startup scaling rapidly while preserving its culture. Focus too much on growth, and the culture erodes. Obsess over culture, and growth stagnates. Navigating this tension means consistently asking, “What serves both our immediate goals and our long-term vision?”

Why It Matters:

Constant tension is part of the job. Dynamic equilibrium—not perfect balance—is the goal. Spoiler alert: equilibrium shifts as priorities evolve. Flexibility wins.

Maintaining Perspective

When paradoxes feel like unsolvable conflicts, it’s usually because we’re stuck in a limited perspective. Zoom out to see the bigger picture.

Example:

A CEO caught between innovation and tradition might feel trapped: “We need to disrupt the market, but our loyal customers value consistency.” The broader perspective? Innovation and tradition are interdependent. One anchors; the other propels.

Why It Matters:

Discipline to question assumptions isn’t just noble—it’s practical. Shifting perspectives reveals solutions hiding in plain sight. Remember, perspective isn’t just a tool; it’s a muscle you strengthen.

Taking Action in Uncertainty

Paradoxes don’t hand out tidy answers, and waiting for clarity can lead to paralysis. Leaders must act decisively—even knowing their choices are imperfect.

Example:

Do you prioritize this quarter’s earnings or invest in a three-year strategy that may not yield immediate returns? The answer is yes. The real challenge is holding the tension while moving forward.

Why It Matters:

Decisiveness is not recklessness. It’s the art of making progress while honoring complexity. And yes, sometimes it’s messy. (Welcome to leadership.)

Leading with Paradox

Finally, navigating paradox isn’t just about solving problems—it’s about modeling adaptability. Paradoxical leadership inspires trust, galvanizes teams, and fosters environments where tension becomes a creative force.

Example:

A COO juggling stability and change communicates openly: “Our core values stay constant, but how we operate evolves with the market.” This balance creates both security and agility.

Why It Matters:

Your team takes cues from you. If you treat paradox as a threat, so will they. Show them it’s an opportunity, and they’ll rise to the challenge.

Embracing “Both/And” Thinking

Paradoxes are messy, uncomfortable, and, let’s be honest, downright frustrating. But they’re also rich with potential. Leaders who master paradox learn to thrive in ambiguity, see opportunities in tension, and build cultures capable of navigating complexity.

So the next time you’re caught between competing forces, remember: it’s not about being right. It’s about making it right. Lean into the tension, and watch as the impossible becomes the inevitable.