Yin and Yang of Leadership- The Value of a Balanced Approach
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"Wisdom is the power to play with opposites" ~
Roberto Assagioli
There are many books and articles on leadership, just enter
leadership into your Google search engine and there are thousands of items on
the topic of leadership. Leadership has shifted in the last decade as we have
moved from an industrial or agricultural focus to now a technological focus. The
type of leadership that was developed in the industrial age was an autocratic
and dictatorial style of leading. This was effective at that time as employees
were given a specific job or task with little variance and were told
specifically what to do, how to do it and the employee did not ask any
questions.
We have shifted into a new work environment where employees
are given large areas of responsibility with some definition around job
requirements but their jobs and tasks are constantly shifting as the market and
business responds to continual change. Leading in the new world economy is not
as cut and dried as it used to be. There is a need for leaders to have a
balanced approach in order to be fully effective and to lead with the highest
levels of autonomy and influence. The symbolism of the yin and yang (Chinese
symbol of male/female integrated for unity and balance) is a great metaphor for
the characteristics needed for a fully balanced leader of both the yin (female)
and the yang (male).
Let's look at the descriptors for each of these as it
pertains to leadership:
|
Yin (Female Characteristics)
|
|
Intuitive
Receptive
Still
Silent
Responsive
Nurturing
Passive
Solitude
|
|
|
Yang (Male Characteristics)
|
|
Active
Strong
Movement
Vibrant
Aggressive
Energetic
Forceful
Social
|
|
A balanced leader knows and understands the merits of a
balanced approach for maximum effectiveness. If a leader has a dominance of Yin
he or she would be gentle, nurturing, and patient. If a leader has a dominance
of Yang he or she would be aggressive, impatient and demand action. Both
qualities of Yin and Yang are of value for us as individuals and for those of us
in leadership roles. One is not better than the other, Yin has no merit over
Yang nor does Yang win over Yin. The goal is to work on bringing balance in to
our approach. For example a leader with a strong Yang personality would likely
benefit from slowing down decisions to include others opinions as well as take
the time to connect on a personal level with others. A leader with a strong Yin
personality would benefit from being firmer when it comes to discipline and
sticking to difficult decisions once they are made. This is not about gender- it
is about balanced energy. Both men and women have yin and yang aspects within
them.
With today's constant change and with the diverse talents, education and nature
of those we work with the approach that will result in becoming a master leader
is to balance the Yin and Yang.
About the Author
Cheryl Cran, CSP President of Synthesis at Work Inc. works with organizations
in significantly increasing productivity and profitability through communication
strategies that improve employee performance, leverage team synergy and build
extraordinary leaders. Many of Synthesis at Work's clients are award winning
industry leaders. www.cherylcran.com
