The Dichotomy of Leadership

The Ultimate Dichotomy of Leadership

Raise your hand if this is not relatable-
“There are limitless dichotomies in leadership…. But none are as difficult as this: to care deeply for each individual member of the team, while at the same time accepting the risks necessary to accomplish the mission..”

I’ve struggled with this myself.
Balancing your care for the people and accomplishing the mission at the same time.

In their celebrated book, “The Dichotomy of Leadership”, as US Navy SEALs transcend leadership lessons from the battlefield to the business world, it is a mirror on the wall.

For a military officer, working with a team closely and caring for them deeply- leading them on life threatening missions simultaneously is a burden to carry. Be it the battlefield or the office, certain decisions can be at the cost of your people’s happiness and comfort. The key is to balance the dichotomies; to accomplish the objective without driving the team off a cliff.

Besides, what kind of a leader would the team appreciate? Someone who balances the dichotomies and not callously puts the people at risk.

Someone who balances being a leader and a follower, confident but not cocky, bold yet thoughtful. Someone who makes tough calls for the benefit of the larger team.

Someone who balances the care for the team and the weight of the challenge.