I remember a law school professor told me many years ago that the smallest words have the greatest impact: or, and, am, no, if, why. This concept reverberated at the fourth session of the Emerging Business Leaders (EBL) program for Cohort 12 of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, where we were introduced to polarities and the power of using the word “and” in leadership.
What are polarities?
In today’s ultrafast and complex world, the pace of change has surpassed the way we like to work — and it’s not slowing down. Either we must adapt to move with change, or we will get stuck, or possibly worse, passed by. Within this dichotomy, we face situations where our choices feel diametrically opposed. Should we press for change, or keep things stable? Should we dig into the details or focus on the big picture? Should we offer flexibility (particularly in this post-pandemic world) or enforce structure? Should we focus on cost or quality? The juxtaposition of opposites tricks us into thinking we must choose one “OR” the other. While this may be true in some circumstances, more often than not, seemingly opposite sides actually need each other to survive. These are polarities. Katie Lackey, vice president of global learning and talent management at Honeywell, empowered us to keep our finger on the pulse in balancing this tension to create reasonable solutions.
As a former professional journalist and early in my career as a lawyer, I was focused on structure and deadlines. The word “flexibility” was not in my peripheral. If my story wasn’t ready on time for the 5 o’clock newscast, I would be in a state of panic. Similarly, the fear of missing a court deadline was paralyzing. However, as I’ve grown as a leader, I have shifted my mindset to balance the competing tensions of structure and flexibility within the bigger picture. I am also intentional to protect my team from feeling the same high level of anxiety as I did that resulted from my polarity imbalance. Through the EBL program, I had this epiphany: There’s nothing wrong with structure and there’s nothing wrong with flexibility. When both polarities are managed well, you have the power to choose in decision-making. When not managed well, you feel like your choices are being taken away.
How to identify and manage polarities in the workforce
As leaders balancing polarities, we must understand there may be no single “right” answer. In many cases, if you believe something, the opposite is equally true. How should we identify the competing juxtaposition of opposites in our workplaces? Surround ourselves with people of varying viewpoints and accept that your answer might be different. For organizations, survey your employees to identify a polarity imbalance. When navigating opposite tensions, resist the impulse to make an “either/or” decision. There is power in “AND.”
Strategic leadership
At the EBL program, Professor Dave Roberts of the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School furthered the polarities concept by equipping us to intentionally schedule regular, consistent and ongoing time to strategically architect and translate a path for our teams to maximize productivity. According to Roberts, when leaders contribute more time thinking and communicating strategy, and less time ‘in the weeds’ in day-to-day operations, teams are motivated to achieve meaningful, top-quality results. This concept led to a second epiphany: Every day I load myself with “doing” is a day I am not architecting and translating to my team’s detriment.
Thinking strategically and leveraging polarities are essential ingredients for leadership success. I am grateful my employer, Coca-Cola Consolidated, maximizes bold leadership to balance the polarity of respect for person and respect for performance. At Coca-Cola Consolidated, our leaders promote and sustain a culture of belonging, equity, and inclusion that encourages all our teammates to bring their whole, authentic selves to the workplace, and provides them with a ‘seat at the table’ in multiple forms to listen and express varying, diverse viewpoints safely, while still driving a high-performing culture of excellence, creativity, and innovation that keeps our business on the cutting edge. I am humbled that Coca-Cola Consolidated sponsored me to be a part of the EBL program, which has been a remarkable experience in my professional and personal growth in making Charlotte my new home. Special thank you to Laura Foor and the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance for pushing my leadership skills to the next level in a world full of complexity that is not slowing down.
Naomi Oglesby is an Emerging Business Leader and the senior director, associate general counsel of labor and employment at Coca-Cola Consolidated. She welcomes you to connect with her on LinkedIn.
