Navigating Leadership Ambiguity with Both/And Thinking

Course details

We all face dilemmas and challenges, yet in most cases, the default approach is to apply either/or thinking to choose between options. In this course, learn how to apply both/and thinking as an alternative to either/or thinking to enable more creative, novel, and sustainable solutions to complex problems. Drawing on paradox research and insights, plus detailed, real-world case studies, instructor Wendy Smith outlines some of today’s most cutting-edge approaches to solving problems in leadership and in life. Along the way, you'll also get the chance to use AI to practice having challenging conversations.

Learning objectives
Recognize the impact of leadership tensions on decision-making and explain why these tensions are neither inherently good nor bad.
Differentiate between either/or thinking and both/and thinking, and identify the negative effects of unconscious either/or biases.
Evaluate when and why both/and thinking is applicable to specific leadership challenges, especially in contexts of change, plurality, and scarcity.
Create a both/and decision-making framework to resolve daily leadership dilemmas, incorporating tools to navigate conflicts and team dynamics.

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - It's not if we face leadership tensions, but how

1. The Power of Both And Thinking

02 - Your dilemmas
03 - Breaking free from the either or trap
04 - The anatomy of a paradox
05 - Paradoxes lurk beneath your dilemmas
06 - Both And in Action - Some case studies

2. Practical Tools for Both And Thinking

07 - Mastering the ABCDs - Unlocking both and with the Paradox System
08 - Assumptions - Change the questions you ask
09 - Boundaries - Separating and connecting
10 - Comfort - Finding comfort in the discomfort
11 - Dynamics - Finding mules and tightrope walkers
12 - The ABCD framework in qction

3. Applying Both And Thinking to Leadership Challenges

13 - Building a both and decision-making framework
14 - Navigating interpersonal conflicts through both and
15 - Building a both and organization

Conclusion

16 - Next steps in your both and journey