Trust is the North Star of strong and high-performing teams, guiding them through the darkest challenges and keeping them on course. It's like the foundation of a sturdy building, built brick by brick with unwavering faith in each other's reliability, truth, ability, and strength. However, trust doesn't come pre-packaged; it's not something leaders can order up like fast food. Instead, it's an ongoing investment that requires consistent effort to earn and protect. Effective leadership takes the role of a skilled architect, constructing trust through intentional, transparent, and impactful communication, ensuring the team stands tall against any storm that comes its way.
Leadership can be likened to a delicate balancing act, akin to the concept of yin and yang. Yin and yang, often referred to as "dark-light" or "negative-positive," is a Chinese philosophical notion that illustrates how seemingly opposing or contradictory forces can be interconnected, complementary, and interdependent in the natural world. Skillful leaders leverage these yin and yang elements to cultivate trust, foster relationships, and foster strong team dynamics. They use the right technique at the right time for the individual situation and person they are dealing with. A leader cannot afford to have a playbook that is not flexible for the situation. Here are some specific yin/yang elements of leadership:
- Strategic and Tactical: Exceptional leaders possess the ability to contemplate the bigger picture and craft an inspiring vision that motivates and empowers their teams. Simultaneously, they are willing to immerse themselves in the nitty-gritty details and work alongside their teams to ensure successful execution.
- Giving and Receiving: Strong leaders begin by giving of themselves, demonstrating vulnerability and care to establish trust. By being human, emotional and sharing personal experiences, fears, and preferences, leaders create a human connection. However, leaders must also actively seek to receive the same openness in return. This involves creating an environment that encourages sharing and bonding among team members, employing diverse tools and approaches (such as one-on-one meetings, surveys, probing questions, and ice breakers), and demonstrating attentive listening to learn and leverage insights.
- Operational and Creative: Operational proficiency entails adhering to disciplined and systematic approaches to consistently deliver results. However, exceptional leaders recognize the importance of creativity in reaching that operational state. They embrace curiosity, think outside the box, and cultivate a growth mindset.
- Driven and Nurturing: The job of a team is to deliver results; the job of a leader is to ensure it happens. This involves setting clear plans, driving results, and holding individuals accountable. However, leaders must strike a delicate balance, avoiding excessive pressure that may alienate team members and hinder overall success. Nurturing is equally crucial, as it involves meeting people's fundamental needs—purpose, inclusion, security, growth, and integrity—and inspiring and empowering them to excel both individually and as a team.
- Big and Small: Effective leaders appreciate the merits of both large and small organizational structures. Within large organizations, established processes, tools, and structures optimize success, and leaders can draw valuable lessons from them. However, there is a risk of complacency and bureaucracy. Small business experience, on the other hand, offers the freedom to be nimble and innovative, unburdened by rigid traditions and norms.
- Masculine and Feminine: Masculine energy is characterized by action, achievement, logic, and reason. Feminine energy, in contrast, embodies intuition, receptivity, compromising and being. Achieving a balance between these energies fosters harmony and fulfillment.
- Experience and Naivety: Key experiences in a leader's life contribute to learning, growth, and enhanced leadership capabilities. Failures often serve as the most valuable experiences, facilitating quicker and more successful decision-making. However, approaching situations with naivety and innocence can also unlock new and better solutions.
- Optimism and Pessimism: Optimism & Pessimism: Optimists find opportunities, boosting motivation & resilience. Pessimists anticipate challenges, staying prepared. A balanced mix of optimism and realism is key for overall benefit.
Recently, I had the privilege of onboarding my third intern. Each year, I relish the opportunity to welcome someone with minimal work experience onto the team. It provides me with invaluable learning experiences as they bring fresh perspectives and challenge my established ways of thinking. None of us are infallible or have mastered leadership entirely. However, the best leaders possess self-awareness, recognizing their strengths, identifying areas for improvement, and partnering with others who can continually teach and complement their leadership style.
Leadership is about winning the hearts of others to take the action you need them to take. Good luck in finding balance on your leadership journey.
