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ISBN 978-1-4002-2831-7 (eBook) ISBN 978-1-4002-2829-4 (HC) Library of Congress Control Number: 2021943614 Printed in the United States of America 21 22 23 24 25 LSC 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Paradoxical Leadership in a Complex Age Paradoxical Leadership in a Complex Age THE WAY MESSAGES TRAVEL THROUGH THE BRAIN Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership_FIN.indd 1 8/2/21 1:31 PM PA R A D OX 1 1 Uncommon P A RLeaders A D O XBalance Both Confidence and Humility Uncommon Leaders Balance Both Confidence and Humility THINK IT THROUGH, TALK IT OVER Do you know leaders who balance these two qualities well? ▼ Who do you know who struggles with either of the two?IT THROUGH, TALK IT OVER THINK ▼ What do you struggle with in your leadership: or confidence? ▼ humility Do you know leaders who balance these two ▼ Why do you think keeping a balance between the qualities well? two is so challenging? ▼ Who do you know who struggles with either of the ▼ ▼ ▼ two? What do you struggle with in your leadership: humility or confidence? Why do you think keeping a balance between the two is so challenging? Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership_FIN.indd 21 8/2/21 1:31 PM P PA AR RA AD DO OX X 2 Uncommon Uncommon Leaders Leaders A R ATheir D O XVision Leverage LeveragePBoth Both Their Vision and and Their Their Blind Blind Spots Spots Uncommon Leaders Leverage Both Their Vision and Their Blind Spots 2 THINK THINK IT IT THROUGH, THROUGH, TALK TALK IT IT OVER OVER Do Do you you know know leaders leaders who who balance balance these these two two qualities well? qualities well? ▼ Who do you know who benefited from their blind ▼ Who do you know who benefited from their blind spots? spots? ▼ What do you struggle with in your leadership: vision ▼ What do you struggle with in your leadership: vision THINK IT THROUGH, TALK IT OVER or or blind blind spots? spots? ▼ ▼Why do you think keeping balance these between Do you know leaders whoaa balance twothe ▼ Why do you think keeping between the two is qualities well? two is so so challenging? challenging? ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ Who do you know who benefited from their blind spots? What do you struggle with in your leadership: vision or blind spots? Why do you think keeping a balance between the two is so challenging? Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership_FIN.indd 43 Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership_FIN.indd 43 8/2/21 1:31 PM 8/2/21 1:31 PM PA R A D OX 3 Uncommon Leaders Embrace PA R A DInvisibility OX Both Visibility and 3 Uncommon Leaders Embrace Both Visibility and Invisibility THINK THINK IT IT THROUGH, THROUGH, TALK TALK IT IT OVER OVER Do Do you you know know leaders leaders who who balance balance these these two two qualities well? How do they do it? qualities well? How do they do it? ▼ ▼ What What do do you you struggle struggle with with in in your your leadership: leadership: visibility or invisibility? visibility or invisibility? ▼ do words more than ▼ In In what what areas do you you rely rely on on wordsIT more than THINK ITareas THROUGH, TALK OVER actions to motivate your team? actions to motivate your team? ▼ you on potential Docould you know leaders who balance these two ▼ ▼How How could you improve improve on preparing preparing potential leaders and getting out the way? qualities How doof it? leaders andwell? getting out ofthey the do way? ▼ What do you struggle with in your leadership: visibility or invisibility? ▼ In what areas do you rely on words more than actions to motivate your team? ▼ How could you improve on preparing potential leaders and getting out of the way? ▼ ▼ Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership_FIN.indd 65 Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership_FIN.indd 65 8/2/21 1:31 PM 8/2/21 1:31 PM 4 PA R A D OX 4 Uncommon Leaders Are Both PA R A D OX Stubborn and Open-Minded Uncommon Leaders Are Both Stubborn and Open-Minded THINK THINK IT IT THROUGH, THROUGH, TALK TALK IT IT OVER OVER Do Do you you know know leaders leaders who who are are both both strong strong willed willed and open-minded? andIT open-minded? THINK THROUGH, TALK IT OVER ▼ What ▼ What problems problems are are you you stubborn stubborn about about solving? solving? Does this keep you open-minded? ▼ Do you know leaders who are both strong willed Does this keep you open-minded? ▼ Which do you struggle with more in your open-minded? ▼ and Which do you struggle with more in your leadership: aa strong will or mind? ▼ What problems are you about solving? leadership: strong will stubborn or an an open open mind? ▼ From the strategies covered, which might Does this keep you open-minded? ▼ From the strategies covered, which might be be helpful for you to expand upon? ▼ Which do you struggle with more in your helpful for you to expand upon? ▼ improve on practicing this leadership: a strong will or open mind? ▼ How How could could you you improve onan practicing this paradox? paradox? ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ From the strategies covered, which might be helpful for you to expand upon? How could you improve on practicing this paradox? Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership_FIN.indd 87 Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership_FIN.indd 87 8/2/21 1:31 PM 8/2/21 1:31 PM PA R A D OX 5 Uncommon Leaders Are Both Deeply Personal and Inherently Collective THINK IT THROUGH, TALK IT OVER THINK THINK IT IT THROUGH, THROUGH, TALK TALK IT IT OVER OVER ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ Which do you naturally tend to be: a collective Which Which do do you you naturally naturally tend tend to to be: be: aa collective collective leader who sees and acts on the big picture, or aa leader who sees and acts on the big picture, leader who sees and acts on the big picture, or or a personal leader who sees one person at a time? Do personal personal leader leader who who sees sees one one person person at at aa time? time? Do Do you know why? you know why? you know why? What’s What’s the the number number one one takeaway takeaway you you picked picked up up What’s the number one takeaway you picked up from Mother Teresa or any of the examples in from Mother Mother Teresa Teresa or or any any of of the the examples examples in in this this from this chapter? chapter? chapter? What do you think is the most important advantage What What do do you you think think is is the the most most important important advantage advantage to practicing this paradox in the to practicing practicing this this paradox paradox in in the the aftermath aftermath of of aaa to aftermath of pandemic? pandemic? pandemic? What do you struggle with most when it comes to What What do do you you struggle struggle with with most most when when it it comes comes to to embodying this paradox? embodying this paradox? embodying this paradox? How How could could you you improve improve your your leadership leadership in in light light of of How could you improve your leadership in light of this paradox? this paradox? paradox? this 6 P PA AR RA AD DO OX X Uncommon Uncommon Leaders Leaders Are Are Both Both Teachers Teachers PA R A D OX and and Learners Learners 6 Uncommon Leaders Are Both Teachers and Learners THINK IT THROUGH, TALK IT OVER THINK IT THROUGH, TALK IT OVER ▼ Do you know leaders who are both teachers and ▼ Do you know leaders who are both teachers and learners? Who are they? learners? Who are they? ▼ What traits do those leaders have in common? ▼ What traits do those leaders have in common? ▼ Which do you struggle with most: being a teacher ▼ Which do you struggle with most: being a teacher or a learner? Why? or a learner? Why? ▼ From the five practices in this chapter, which could ▼ From the five practices in this chapter, which could be most helpful to you? beIT most helpful to you?TALK IT OVER THINK THROUGH, ▼ How could you improve on practicing this ▼ How could you improve on practicing this paradox? ▼ Do you know leaders who are both teachers and paradox? learners? Who are they? ▼ What traits do those leaders have in common? ▼ Which do you struggle with most: being a teacher or a learner? Why? Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership_FIN.indd 129 ▼ From the129 five practices in this chapter, which could Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership_FIN.indd be most helpful to you? ▼ How could you improve on practicing this paradox? 8/2/21 1:31 PM 8/2/21 1:31 PM P PA AR RA AD DO OX X 7 Uncommon Uncommon Leaders Leaders Model Model P AHigh R A DStandards OX Both Both High Standards and and Gracious Gracious Forgiveness Forgiveness Uncommon Leaders Model Both High Standards and Gracious Forgiveness 7 THINK THINK IT IT THROUGH, THROUGH, TALK TALK IT IT OVER OVER Do Do you you know know leaders leaders who who balance balance these these two two qualities well? qualities well? ▼ What do you struggle with as you lead: high ▼ What do you struggle with as you lead: high standards standards or or gracious gracious forgiveness? forgiveness? ▼ Why do you suppose radical leaders are so rare? Do ▼ Why do you suppose radical leaders are so rare? Do THINK IT THROUGH, TALK IT OVER you you consider consider yourself yourself one? one? ▼ What must you do to improve practicing this ▼ ▼What mustknow you do to improve practicing Do you leaders who balance thesethis two paradox? paradox? qualities well? ▼ What do you struggle with as you lead: high standards or gracious forgiveness? ▼ Why do you suppose radical leaders are so rare? Do you consider yourself one? ▼ What must you do to improve practicing this paradox? ▼ ▼ Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership_FIN.indd 151 Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership_FIN.indd 151 8/2/21 1:31 PM 8/2/21 1:31 PM 8 P PA AR RA AD DO OX X Uncommon Uncommon Leaders Leaders Are Are Both Both PTimely A R A Dand O XTimeless Timely and Timeless 8 Uncommon Leaders Are Both Timely and Timeless THINK IT THROUGH, TALK IT OVER THINK IT THROUGH, TALK IT OVER ▼ Do you know leaders who balance “timely” and ▼ Do you know leaders who balance “timely” and “timeless” well? “timeless” well? ▼ Which of these two qualities do you lean toward ▼ Which of these two qualities do you lean toward naturally? Why is the other hard? naturally? Why is the other hard? ▼ What are the “plumb lines” for your leadership and ▼ What are the “plumb lines” for your leadership and THINKorganization? IT THROUGH, TALK IT OVER organization? ▼ What must you do to improve practicing this ▼ What must you do to improve practicing this ▼ Do you know leaders who balance “timely” and paradox? paradox? “timeless” well? ▼ Which of these two qualities do you lean toward naturally? Why is the other hard? ▼ What are the “plumb lines” for your leadership and organization? ▼ What must you do to improve practicing this paradox? Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership_FIN.indd 173 Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership_FIN.indd 173 8/2/21 1:31 PM 8/2/21 1:31 PM
