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The Power of Balance: Navigating Leadership Tensions for Success ⚖️🌟

  • Writer: MSN
    MSN
  • May 12
  • 2 min read

As executives, we all know leadership is not one-size-fits-all. It is about being adaptable and knowing when to shift gears. In this week’s focus, I want to dive into Adaptable Leadership and why it is essential to balance key leadership tensions in today’s fast-paced world. It is not just about being decisive—it is about knowing when to be flexible and agile. 🔄


Jennifer Jordan, leadership professor at IMD, talks about how successful leaders don’t just stick to one leadership style. They’re constantly toggling between different approaches like power-holding vs. power-sharing or tactical thinking vs. visionary thinking to get the best results. Knowing when to shift between these styles is crucial for inspiring growth, navigating challenges, keeping the team and organization engaged. 💡


Here are 7 Key Leadership Tensions to Balance:

  • Power-Holding vs. Power-Sharing: When to lead with authority and when to empower your team. 👑🤝

  • Tactician vs. Visionary: Balancing the here-and-now with long-term goals. 🎯🌍

  • Constant vs. Adapter: Staying true to your values while embracing change. ⚖️🔄

  • Perfectionist vs. Accelerator: Knowing when speed matters over perfection. ⚡🎨

  • Teller vs. Listener: Leading with direction while staying open to feedback. 🗣️👂

  • Miner vs. Prospector: Going deep when needed vs. staying open to new opportunities. ⛏️🔍

  • Intuitionist vs. Analyst: Trusting your gut vs. making data-driven decisions. 🤔📊


Coaching Question 💭:How do you balance these tensions in your leadership style? Reflecting on these can help you adjust and lead more effectively when the moment calls for it. 🤔


Business Impact / Coaching ROI 📊:

Leaders who embrace emotional intelligence (EI) and know when to balance these tensions are 80% more likely to drive success and 27% more likely to lead high-performing teams. (Source: HBR, The Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Leadership, 2018).


When you balance these leadership tensions, you build stronger teams, improve employee engagement, and drive better results.


🎧 Podcast of the Week:

HBR On Leadership / Episode 106: How—and When—to Adapt Your Leadership Style

For more insights on adaptable leadership, check out Jennifer Jordan’s Quick Study video: 7 Key Tensions Every Leader Must Balance.


At the end of the day, leadership is all about adapting to what’s needed in the moment. By learning to balance these key tensions, you can lead with greater impact, helping both you and your organization grow. 🌱


Let’s chat about how you balance these tensions in your leadership—drop me a message! 💬





 
 
 

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