Developing Both/And Leadership: The Importance of Navigating Polarities in Coaching

The need for leaders to think and act from a Both/And perspective has gained increasing attention during the past decades. Polarities like candor::diplomacy, structure::flexibility, local::global, employee-focus::organization-focus are central to complexity, transformation, and development. Unfortunately, while many talk about the criticality and benefits of Both/And leadership, few offer practical methods to help coaches support their clients as they develop this later-stage muscle. In this session, Kelly Lewis, co-author of Navigating Polarities: Using Both/And Thinking to Lead Transformation, will explore why navigating these paradoxical tensions is often easier said than done, the important role identity and vulnerability play in navigating them, and introduce practical coaching applications that help clients develop both/and mindsets, heartsets, and skillsets.