The Colors We Lead In

We often think about priorities and decisions as black and white. Something is either important and must be done, or it's unimportant and can be ignored. However, leadership rarely works that neatly. More often, we find ourselves working in the gray areas, balancing multiple competing priorities that don't fit neatly into categories.

In focusing so intently on the black and white, we lose sight of the full spectrum of colors that leadership encompasses. Leadership is often messy, unpredictable, and multi-faceted. As leaders, we must remember that there are many ways to succeed, not just one "right" path defined by rigid black and white thinking.

The Problem with Black and White Thinking

Black and white thinking is seductive in its simplicity. It allows us to make quick decisions by classifying things as absolutely essential or totally unimportant. This can help leaders take decisive action, which is often crucial. However, it also lacks nuance and restricts our ability to see creative solutions.

When we only think in black and white terms, we commit our leadership to specific rigid endpoints. The "black" actions must be done and the "white" actions can be ignored. This leaves little room for adaptability, balancing competing needs, or incorporating multiple viewpoints. It diminishes diversity of thought and rely too heavily on one individual perspective rather than utilizing the spectrum of talents across teams.

Black and white thinking also contributes to stress and burnout. Leaders feel immense pressure to achieve every "black" priority, leaving little time for reflection, creativity, or community-building. They struggle to manage "gray" areas, feeling guilty that they cannot fully achieve every goal. This diminishes morale, further entrenching black and white attitudes.

Expanding Leadership Thinking

To be truly effective, leaders must embrace colorful, multidimensional thinking. This means recognizing that leadership encompasses a full spectrum of potential actions, stakeholders, needs and talents.

Rather than committing to specific endpoints, excellent leaders define priorities in terms of ranges, balances and "areas" of focus. They right-size goals to be ambitious yet flexible given constraints. They understand that within every priority there are shades of black, white and lots of color in-between.

For example, meeting a deadline could be seen as black and white goal. However, a leader focused on balancing colors would establish a target range for completion, allowing room for inevitable uncertainties. They would involve the team in balancing scope, schedule and resources rather than imposing rigid deadlines without context. This retains focus while incorporating some gray.

Multidimensional leaders also take time to understand the specific talents and needs of each individual. They recognize that people come in many colors, like brilliant hues on a painter's palette. A single shade cannot represent an entire person or team. Excellence lies in learning how best to mix and match people's colors.

This takes patience, empathy and commitment to diversity. It relies less on black and white classifications such as roles and seniority, and more on assessing the unique abilities and growth opportunities for each person. This helps motivate and develop well-rounded, vibrant teams.

Unleashing the Full Spectrum Colors

Thriving teams and organizations fully leverage the entire spectrum of colors, talents, and thought diversity across all members. They value flexibility, collaboration, and creativity as much as concrete goals.

However, even the most committed leaders can slip into black and white thinking when under pressure. When this happens, take time to intentionally reflect on the full diversity of skills, needs and ideas across your teams. Key questions to ask include:

·       Who has been left out of key decisions and strategy development? Whose talents and perspectives are we failing to leverage?

·       Where can we build more adaptability into our priorities and processes? Where are we over-indexing on rigid thinking?

·       What are quick ways we can better support the growth and development of our team members? How are people feeling about work-life balance, burnout, and engagement?

The colors are there for you to lead boldly with. You simply need to raise your head up from execution focus and see the full spectrum. Recognizing the multifaceted diversity across your people and the fluidity required in today's environment is critical for long-term success. Enable your teams to unleash their full potential by leading in color.