Where Art, Life and Leadership Collide
- Five Leadership Paradoxes
- Lessons of Paradox
- The Hands of Paradox, Charcoal Drawings
As you know I have an interest in the role of paradox in our lives and, specifically, how paradox can be a source of creativity. A relatively recent joint study (2012) by the Human Capital Leadership Institute and the Center for Creative Leadership identifies 5 Paradoxes of Leadership Development in Asia. I believe these are universal leadership paradoxes. And, yes, even paradoxes of personal development.
Paradox #1: To achieve success, learn from failure
I have never met a senior leader whose rise to the top has been a straight line. Like the creative process itself, a leader's development is often characterized by stubbed toes, bruised egos and outright mistakes and failures. "Effective top leaders should be able to deal with failure and learn from mistakes as part of their leadership journey--reflecting on setbacks, learning lessons from negative experiences and growing stronger." I would even take this a step further and suggest that a key to organizational success is one in which failures are used as opportunities for institutional and team reflection, learning and growth.
Paradox #2: To develop greatness, practice humility
"Effective leaders model humility and constantly learn from others. Humility was a necessary component of intellectual curiosity and an essential component of fostering a learning culture within an organization.
For example, a top leader from Olam indicated his direct reports had taught him as much as he had taught them. This was a signal to his team that one can learn from multiple sources and not just from people at the top."
Paradox #3: To foster learning, emphasize doing
"When asked what contributed to their personal leadership development, the majority of leaders mentioned adversity and crisis. A senior leader recounted a volatile labor strike that erupted while he was leading an Indonesian unit. Being a Singaporean, he was not used to strikes of this nature. Worried about the safety of his team, he suggested they all return home. His concern for the team's safety instead led them to stay and help with negotiations, and tensions were later defused. Leadership development truly occurred when classroom learning was applied in the field and this example illustrated clearly that leadership development did not take place only in the classroom.
Paradox #4: To accelerate development, slow down
While multiple experiences were necessary for leadership development, organizations had the tendency to rapidly move people into different positions without giving them room to breathe. The organizations interviewed saw the importance of giving their leaders time to slow down and reflect on their experiences.
Paradox #5: To excel at the task, harness relationships
The best leaders are authentic in their interactions with others and not only build good relationships with people within the organization, but are also plugged in to key networks outside the organization. Those best able to build and harness these relationships are most likely to operate at the highest levels.
The Lessons of Paradox
In an ever more complex, rapidly moving world the lessons of paradox may be counter-intuitive. Here are a few:
- Failure is a form of progress
- Speed can slow you down
- Reflection is a different form of doing
- Humility, not knowing, opens possibilities
- Collaboration is the new white horse
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