The Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership
Tim Elmore’s The Eight Paradoxes of Leadership: A Contrarian Approach to Building Leaders and Cultivating Influence (2021) is one of my favorite leadership books.
Simply put, it explains why leadership is so hard: leadership is full of paradoxes. By highlighting key paradoxes, Elmore offers a counterintuitive but valuable framework for developing leadership that is both effective and sustainable. Elmore writes for a broad audience of leaders, but pastors and ministry leaders will learn a lot from this book.
For this review, I’ll explore the eight key paradoxes and their implications for ministry leadership.
“The best leaders are those who learn to live in the tension of paradoxes and find strength in the balance”
The book is structured around nine paradoxes that reflect the complex nature of leadership today. Elmore defines paradoxes as “contradictory truths that exist simultaneously, requiring leaders to embrace seemingly opposing forces” (2021, p. 3). According to Elmore, we cannot approach modern leadership with simple formulas or one-dimensional thinking.
Instead, leaders must navigate complex and often conflicting demands, which are best understood through paradoxes.
Sounds like ministry, right?
Paradox 1: Leaders Must Be Both Confident and Humble
The first paradox Elmore presents is the balance between confidence and humility. Leadership, according to Elmore, requires self-assurance and decisiveness, yet it also demands humility and openness to feedback. He states, “Leaders who possess too much confidence are at risk of becoming arrogant, while those who lack confidence may struggle to gain the trust of their followers” (Elmore, 2021, p. 25).
Humility, in this context, means recognizing one’s limitations and acknowledging the contributions of others. If you’ve ever read Jim Collins’ Good to Great, this concept of leadership is very similar to “Level 5 leadership.”
Paradox 2: Leaders Must Be Visionary but Grounded in Reality
What visionary leader hasn’t wrestled with this paradox? Leaders must inspire with their vision, but if the goals are too grandiose, they’ll never be accomplished.
“Visionary leaders inspire hope and innovation but if they are detached from reality, they risk leading their organizations into failure” (Elmore, 2021, p. 48). Grounded leadership, therefore, involves balancing idealism with pragmatism.
Paradox 3: Leaders Must Be Courageous and Calculated
Courage and caution form another essential paradox. Elmore argues that leadership demands courage to make bold decisions and take risks, but it also requires careful calculation and strategic thinking. This paradox emphasizes the need for leaders to embrace risk while mitigating potential downsides through thorough planning and foresight.
Paradox 4: Leaders Must Be Both Directive and Collaborative
Elmore points out that leaders must be able to provide clear direction and take decisive action when necessary, but they must also foster collaboration and empower others. He writes, “Authoritative leadership can lead to decisive outcomes, but over-reliance on a top-down approach stifles creativity and innovation” (Elmore, 2021, p. 95).
It’s easy for pastors to utilize—or even be perceived as utilizing—top-down leadership when people are trusting them to hear from God. This paradox has many warnings for pastors and leaders who want to stay away from toxic work environments.
Paradox 5: Leaders Must Be Focused and Flexible
Focus and flexibility are two seemingly contradictory qualities that Elmore identifies as critical for leaders. Elmore explains, “Leaders who are too rigid in their focus risk missing opportunities for innovation, while those who lack focus may lose sight of their mission” (2021, p. 118).
Flexibility, in this sense, is not about abandoning goals but about being open to new strategies and approaches that may better achieve those goals.
Paradox 6: Leaders Must Be Confident in Their Expertise but Open to Learning
Leaders, especially pastors, are often expected to be experts in their fields, but Elmore argues that the best leaders are those who remain open to continuous learning. “In a rapidly changing world, leaders who stop learning become obsolete,” he states (Elmore, 2021, p. 141).
Expertise provides a foundation for decision-making, but humility and curiosity allow leaders to grow and adapt over time.
Paradox 7: Leaders Must Be Both Task-Oriented and People-Oriented
Leadership often involves a tension between focusing on tasks and focusing on people. Elmore suggests that leaders must manage both effectively. “Leaders who are overly task-oriented may achieve short-term results but risk alienating their teams, while those who focus exclusively on people may neglect important operational objectives” (Elmore, 2021, p. 164).
Pastors are often caught in the balance between tending to their flock and keeping a watchful eye on the direction the flock is going.
Paradox 8: Leaders Must Be Both Optimistic and Realistic
The eighth paradox highlights the need for leaders to maintain optimism while being realistic about the challenges they face. One of my mentors stressed the need for leaders to be the “non-anxious presence,” and that term has really stuck with me.
Elmore argues that optimism is essential for inspiring and motivating others, but unchecked optimism can lead to poor decision-making.
Paradox 9: Leaders Must Be Both Bold and Patient
Leaders must be willing to take bold action when necessary, but they must also recognize the value of patience and long-term thinking. “Boldness without patience leads to burnout and frustration, while patience without boldness results in missed opportunities” (Elmore, 2021, p. 210).
Elmore suggests that great leaders are those who can act decisively while maintaining the perspective required for long-term success.
Conclusion
Tim Elmore’s Paradoxes of Leadership offers a nuanced and thoughtful approach to leadership in a complex world. The book’s central thesis is that successful leadership is not about choosing between opposing qualities but about learning to navigate and integrate these tensions. As Elmore writes, “The best leaders are those who learn to live in the tension of paradoxes and find strength in the balance” (2021, p. 220).
Living in that tension is of the utmost importance to pastors, which is why I highly recommend this book.
Josh Ellis is Executive Director of Union Baptist Association. He has a PhD in Leadership Studies and has served on the UBA staff since 2005. With both practical and scholarly knowledge, he leads the association into innovative collaboration for the sake of strategic gospel advancement.
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