When Both Sides Are Right: Navigating the Trade-Offs That Define Leadership

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Link to a related blog post: How to Know When it’s Time to Stop

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One of the most challenging aspects of leadership is navigating the seemingly endless collection of tensions and trade-offs that exist within any organization. These situations are difficult precisely because they rarely involve a choice between something that is clearly right and something that is clearly wrong. More often, leaders find themselves choosing between two priorities that are both important, both defensible, and both worthy of attention. In these situations, not only must leaders determine where to allocate resources, but they must also manage the internal tensions that frequently emerge when different people, teams, or departments become closely aligned with one side of the trade-off or the other.

Throughout my tenure as a CEO, I repeatedly encountered situations like these. This week, we explore seven specific examples of these leadership trade-offs, and why I believe they are among the most difficult decisions that leaders are asked to make.