Writing · A series
Find the Balance
Eleven paradoxes of leading. Each pair holds two goods, and each good, pushed far enough, starts to produce the opposite of what it was meant to. These pieces look at why we lean one way, through what we believe and what our workplaces reward, and offer one small move: a little more of the opposite.
By Neil McGregor. Find the Balance is one of Square Peg's three practices, alongside Change the Story and Shape the Conditions.
Find the Balance
Why the tensions every leader lives with have no right answer, and why we lean the way we do.
Close, and clear
The closer you get, the harder the hard thing is to say.
Step forward, and step back
The more you lead from the front, the less others learn to lead.
Make the call, and build agreement
The more you take charge, the less others do.
Your patch, and the whole
The harder you push for your win, the less others help you win.
Say it, with tact
The harder you push back, the less people tell you.
Trust, and stay in touch
The more you check, the less others own.
Make room, and stay visible
The more room you leave, the more others fill it.
Rely on others, and on yourself
The more you rely on others, the more they decide for you.
Open, and clear
The more you go along, the less your agreement means.
Help, and let people struggle
The more you rescue, the less people grow.
Confident, and humble
The more certain you are, the less you learn, and the more you search, the less you decide.
Which way do you lean?
The self–other gap, and why the people around you keep you where you are.