- Specialization versus generalization
In order to assess the performance of his or her staff properly and in order to put
the people and their skills in the right place, a manager needs to have expertise
and detailed knowledge. Too much detail orientation can be dangerous because
it leads us to lose sight of the big picture and the ability to integrate. Moreover,
this can also leave little time for our actual management tasks. - Overall responsibility versus individual responsibility
For the sake of themselves and their staff, managers should and must delegate –
not only tasks, but also the associated responsibilities. In practice, however,
the boss is blamed for any mistake made by his or her subordinates, because
everyone expects them to feel responsible for everything done by those they
lead. - Preservation or change
Leadership is a constant balancing act between maintaining the necessary
structures, values and rules and the need to adapt to changes in the environ-
ment. Constancy, stability and tradition create security and transparency.
But deadlock endangers the existence and the development of the company.
The manager must at the same time – even in the face of resistance – suggest
and implement changes and provide the security and orientation that the
employees need for their daily work. - Competition versus cooperation
Competition is an engine of growth. Conflicts lead to new solutions, and
competition leads to performance. In our competitive economy, always strug-
gling for scarce resources, especially the Olympic motto of “faster, higher,
farther” is what counts. But for the survival and performance of an organization
whose main resource is the people who work for it, “soft” factors such as
kindness, patience, helpfulness, empathy and modesty are also important.
The ideal leader would be a “cooperative tiger.” - Being active or stepping back
Leadership means activity. Leaders are “movers”; they keep people and
projects in motion. However, leaders should not only supervise but should
also be able to let go, because good staff members do not have to be pushed;
they gain the necessary motivation from their activity (intrinsic motivation).
Executives must be able to withdraw in order to let others become active,
intervening only when it is truly necessary. - Internal orientation versus external orientation
Managers have to establish and maintain relationships, both internally and
externally: they must be present and available for their people and simulta-
neously maintain networks outside the company. Networking in the entire
system and in the environment is important in order to acquire information
and resources; however, it also takes time and energy from maintaining internal
relations and weakens the manager’s support in his or her own team. - Goal orientation or process orientation
This dilemma involves two other opposed pairs: trust versus mistrust and
supervision versus autonomy. Goal orientation means that the manager trusts
3.2 Leading with Your Head and Heart 159