The Buddha began his first teaching by telling his listeners to take the middle way, the middle path between extreme asceticism on one hand, and sensual indulgence on the other. When talking about leadership, a similar concept comes up often: extremes are not good, and you always have to find the middle path: the right balance of left and right, soft and hard, edgy and round - depending on the situation and the team you’re working with.
Being conscious and approaching each situation with open eyes and an open mind is crucial. Our toolset contains controversial assets, and a good leader can always choose the right tool for the right job. Recently this became very clear to me through two topics: as I was writing about perfectionism and humility. So I decided to collect a couple more examples where finding the middle path can help you to be a successful leader.
People vs. company
There is no question about it: a company wants to succeed and we want to contribute to the success of the company we’re working for. A leader’s job is to maximize their team’s potential and at the same time, ensure that you have a healthy and happy team. This means balancing the needs and well-being of the team members with the broader goals and objectives of the company. In other words, you don’t want to build a hippie commune with no goals whatsoever, but you don’t want to build the proverbial evil capitalist company either, right? You want both your team and your company to live their best life.
Short-term vs. long-term
If you have ever worked in a startup environment, then this might be your bread-and-butter challenge: delivering a solution for a high-profile client without piling up tech debt. To me, this means building a structure and processes to counterbalance the effects of the rapid fires and the quick fixes. If you had to take a shortcut, then put the real fix on the backlog. If you can afford to spend a bit more time on the fix that moves you closer to your future plans, take that path. Consider scheduling regular tech-dept days. Your goal should be to achieve immediate results while keeping a long-term vision in mind.
Listening vs. talking
Leaders need to be decisive and make timely decisions, but also be open to feedback and consider different perspectives. Striking a balance ensures informed choices with team buy-in. Be open to feedback from your team (and actually, everyone in the company) - perceptive attention is your wonder weapon here; but once you get a good understanding of the situation, don’t be afraid to voice your opinion.
Democracy vs. dictatorship
While providing direction is important, micromanaging stifles growth. Leaders need to delegate tasks effectively, offering guidance while allowing individuals ownership and initiative. But where is the right balance? Do you need to let them fail? How many times? Do you need a consensus to make a decision? When is the right time to “order”, and when is the right time to suggest? Always consider the team dynamics, the situation, and your circumstances to find the right balance.
Work vs. life
Yeah, I get it, this is not just important for leaders, but for everyone. But you as a leader might have extra challenges in this area. First, your role typically comes with more pressure, more responsibility, more availability, more priorities, and many similar aspects that might not help you find the right balance. But you, the leader, have to be the role model and show your team that finding the right balance is possible.
Food for thought: In your experience, what are the most important balances a leader has to find? What are the ones you’re struggling with the most? Are there any recent examples where you know that you failed to find the middle path? How would you approach a similar situation next time? I would love to hear from your personal experiences.