According to our 2024 Cosmic Conference Speakers
As part of the 2024 Cosmic Conference titled The Cosmic Dance; Mastering Dualities in Leadership, we asked our speakers to reflect on a pivotal question: Which polarity do leaders struggle with the most?
Their insights, drawn from their diverse leadership journeys and expertise, offered a profound glimpse into the challenges leaders face when navigating dualities. Here is how some speakers responded:
Ayoub Semaan: Managing Performance vs. Coaching for Development
Ayoub Semaan, Executive Coach and Partner at Cultivating Leadership joined us for his session, "Mastering Change in Uncertainty," where he explored innovative approaches to leading in today’s unpredictable world. Reflecting on a key polarity he has observed, Ayoub pointed to the tension between managing performance and coaching for development.
This polarity is a familiar struggle for leaders who must deliver immediate results while also creating the conditions for long-term success. In today’s fast-moving workplace, leaders often feel torn between the pressure to drive outcomes and the responsibility to nurture their teams’ potential. Ayoub emphasized how this balance requires leaders to dynamically shift their approach, adapting to the needs of both the task and the people involved.
Matt Bartlett-Bond: Rest and Recharge vs. Exertion
Matt Bartlett-Bond, a burnout researcher and coach, brought his expertise to the session "Mastering Sustainable Performance and Not Burning Out." He highlighted the widespread struggle leaders face in balancing rest and recharge with exertion. This polarity underscores a critical challenge in leadership today: recognizing that sustainable performance requires intentional recovery, even in high-pressure environments.
“Many of the leaders we interviewed struggled with this concept,” Matt explained. “Rather than viewing rest as a vital aspect of performance, they often perceived it as a waste of time when they could be doing something more productive. In many cases, it was only after experiencing burnout—in some cases multiple times—that they recognized the importance of rest and developed both a strategy and the discipline to plan time away from work, allowing them to recharge physically and mentally.”
Rajit Nanda: Past vs. Present
Rajit Nanda, CEO of DataVolt, joined us for our Leaders offsite in Dubai where he shared his perspective during the fireside chat "Mastering Organizational Polarities." He reflected on the tension between focusing on the past and present, particularly for growth-oriented CEOs.
“The biggest challenge for me,” Rajit shared, “was keeping this balance, especially requiring to move more to the present than always being in the future.” His insight reminds us that while looking back can provide valuable lessons, staying grounded in the present is essential for making impactful decisions and seizing current opportunities.
Gayle Karen Young: Emergent Issues vs. Strategic Issues
Gayle Karen Young, Executive Coach and Partner at Cultivating Leadership explored the complexities of organizational polarities in her session, "Mastering the Mythic & Mundane." Gayle identified the struggle between addressing emergent issues and strategic issues as a common challenge for leaders.
“Leaders often deal with the urgent and important,” Gayle explained, “but as they shift from individual contributor to leader to leader of leaders, they tend to focus on what’s most familiar and in front of them, as opposed to elevating their perspectives and attending to a different horizon.” This polarity reflects the difficulty of balancing immediate demands with the foresight required for long-term planning.
These reflections reveal that the polarities leaders struggle with often stem from the complex interplay of immediate demands and long-term aspirations. Whether it’s balancing performance with development, rest with exertion, or the past with the present, leaders are tasked with navigating these tensions thoughtfully. The key lies in cultivating awareness, adaptability, and a clear sense of purpose to manage these dualities effectively.
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