Leading With Ambivalence

Today in a meeting when issues were discussed and solutions proposed a person, who I consider a great leader, kept saying they were ambivalent. First, I had to Google “ambivalent” to make sure I was thinking about it correctly. To be clear, being ambivalent does not mean the person and agency he works for did not care. It meant he was undecided and had opposing/conflicting views. Machiavelli taught us to “declare.” Those that know me know I believe and practice this. Rarely do others not know where I stand. I really appreciate this in others that practice “declaring.” I recognize this is not always easy.

In the great book On Grand Strategy, John Lewis Gaddis said, “It’s much the same in most aspects of life, where we make such choices instinctively, or almost so. As authority increases, however, so does self-consciousness. With more people watching, practice becomes performance. Reputations now matter, narrowing the freedom to be flexible” (p. 26). Sometimes as leaders we must be able to navigate opposing views. Abraham Lincoln was a master at this. Lincoln kept his long-term aspirations for our country and the immediate necessities in mind at the same time.

This reminded me of Gaddis explaining Hedgehogs and Foxes according to Oxford don Isaiah Berlin, “Hedgehogs, Berlin explained, ‘relate everything to a single central vision’ through which ‘all that they say and do has significance.’ Foxes, in contrast, ‘pursue many ends, often unrelated and even contradictory, connected, if at all, only in some de facto way.’ The distinction was simple but not frivolous: it offered ‘a point of view from which to look and compare, a starting point for genuine investigation.’ It might even reflect ‘one of the deepest differences which divide writers and thinkers, and, it may be, human beings in general’” (Gaddis, p. 4)

Ambivalence in leadership can be tricky. While it’s best for a leader to consider different perspectives options before making decisions, being consistently ambivalent can lead to indecisiveness and confusion among team members. It’s important for a leader to make informed decisions and stand by them, even if they may not please everyone. However, it’s also crucial for a leader to be open to feedback and willing to adapt their approach when needed. So, it’s okay to have moments of ambivalence, as long as they are followed by decisive action and clear communication.

Byron's Babbles