As the world continues to get more complex, we, as humans, grapple with ways to make sense of our place in its complexity. Our multiple roles are constantly changing as the landscape, too, constantly changes. The temptation to think of situations as black/white or either/or is strong. And, as we practice moving towards ‘both/and’ thinking, our way of being in the world can expand. Humans are programmed to seek clear answers, and when we turn towards nuance and invite “yes, and…” into our responses as leaders, there are more opportunities for richness and compassion in the choices that better serve our organizations.
Modern contemplative Richard Rohr writes “Polarities, dualisms, and seeming opposites are not opposites at all but part of a hidden and rejected wholeness.” There is an invitation to seek wholeness that helps us meet reality in new ways.
Over the next few weeks we’ll be exploring these polarities and examining how compassionate leaders can integrate seeming opposites for further unification in their teams and their work. Embracing paradox is a powerful skill of compassionate leaders. To start, we’ll explore the compassionate leader’s challenge in integrating both freedom and structure for their teams.
It’s easy to recall situations where the balance of structure and freedom was out of whack. Too much structure can create micro-management. Too much freedom can create chaos. Leaders who get both wrong send people off to accomplish a vague or ill-defined goal, without a clear sense of tools or direction, and then respond harshly when the team doesn't get to where they didn't know they were going.
In team dynamics, we know the following to be true:
Teams need structure to know what the goals of the organization are.
Teams need structure to know what the boundaries are around acceptable and unacceptable actions and behaviors.
Structure enhances clarity, and as Brene Brown says, "Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind."
By reducing uncertainty, structure creates a greater sense of (psychological) safety, whereas no structure at all equals maximum uncertainty.
AND
Freedom offers agency to teammates, which is important for their flourishing, well-being and satisfaction.
Freedom releases constructive positive energy to explore possibilities that would be blocked by overbearing restrictions.
For some, freedom can be more fun.
Compassionate leaders know each individual is going to come to their work with different needs in their roles and their work. Cautious people are often helped by clarity around structure, while creative people instead perform better in an environment with greater freedom. Compassionate leaders recognize what is non-negotiable, and they don’t hesitate to set boundaries based on these requirements, even if the choice is not popular. In your leadership journey, which are you more comfortable offering, freedom or structure? And, how is this preference informing your leadership style? By starting with yourself and how you are showing up, you can begin to explore with curiosity the benefits and opportunities of each pole of this paradox.
As you work with your team this year, ask yourself these questions:
Who on my team likely thrives with more structure?
Who prefers more freedom?
What is my role in providing more clarity for those who need support?
What is my role in delegating, releasing, or letting go to help others get their work done?
Compassionate leaders create a clear meeting of the minds around goals and expectations to better serve their organizations and their missions. How can you bring your team into goal setting early to gain true agreement/buy-in? You must be clear to communicate goals, and identify, together, the path you’ll walk towards achieving the goals, while also holding the reality of the context so that people are prepared for all that may unfold. When you build consensus around goals, this then creates trust, allowing leaders to offer greater freedom in the work.
When done well, addressing both freedom and structure creates an environment of both safety and creativity, leading to better outcomes for your work and the people you serve.
What has your experience been with this integration? Where do you get stuck? Where are you succeeding? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
And we invite you to stay tuned as the series on integrating compassionate leadership polarities continues over the next few weeks.