A recent NY Times article on fitness pain hit home.
“Why ‘Unbalanced Muscles Can Cause You Pain” (October 14, 2024) reports that repeatedly doing the same type of activity – whether it’s running, lifting or sitting – can have serious downsides. In my case, it was right hip pain. After a doctor’s appointment, an x-ray and a physical therapist assessment, my overdoing hiking exercises and ignoring the hips was the root cause of my trouble.
The article states, “When you head out for your daily run, with each stride you strengthen your quadriceps, hamstrings and upper calf muscles. However, the muscles on the sides of your hips aren’t growing much … you run the risk of muscle imbalance.
From a career leadership perspective, we often think of balance in terms of external achievements—meeting goals, managing teams, and ensuring smooth operations. Just like physical movement, our leadership should also strive for internal balance. When we’re off balance as leaders, it can show up in a variety of ways—moving too quickly without strategy, hesitating too long when action is needed, taking too much control, or stepping back when we should step forward.
Just as physical balance requires awareness and constant adjustment, so does our leadership. It’s not a fixed state but something dynamic that requires regular self-reflection and course correction. Regular reflective pauses can help us detect imbalances and perhaps avoid the pain of overdoing.
Why Balance Matters in Your Leadership
Our leadership is not about being perfect. It’s about being adaptable, aware, and willing to stay coachable. Our teams, stakeholders, clients, and internal drive and habits often pull us in multiple directions. When we become unbalanced, it impacts our effectiveness and the health of the entire team or organization.
Here are four core areas of leadership that may be out of balance, along with reflection questions to guide you in assessing where adjustments might be needed.
1. Speed: Am I Moving Too Fast or Too Slow?
One of the key aspects of leadership is pacing. Are you a leader who tends to push forward quickly, sometimes without fully considering all perspectives? Or are you a more cautious leader, often hesitating and waiting for perfect conditions before taking action? Both extremes—too fast or too slow—can harm progress and the team’s confidence.
Leaders who move too fast may overlook details, miss critical feedback, or leave their team feeling overwhelmed and unprepared. On the other hand, leaders who move too slow can stall momentum, frustrate teams with inaction, and allow opportunities to slip away.
Reflection Questions:
– Am I rushing decisions because I fear missing out on opportunities, or am I waiting too long because of a fear of failure?
– How often do I check in with my team to ensure they keep pace with the changes I’m driving?
– Are there instances where I’ve moved too quickly and left my team behind or held back when decisive action was needed?
– When was the last time I paused to reflect on the pace at which we are moving as a team?
Practical Tip: Set regular check-ins with your team to gauge their comfort with the pace of change. Encourage open dialogue about whether the speed feels sustainable and adjust accordingly.
2. Empowerment vs. Control: Am I Over-Directing or Abandoning My Leadership Role?
Leadership requires a delicate balance between providing direction and empowering your team to take ownership. Too much direction and control can stifle creativity and initiative; too little, and your team may feel abandoned and uncertain about their goals or roles.
Micromanaging leaders often take on too much, constantly overseeing every task and decision. This leaves little room for team members to develop their skills or feel trusted. Conversely, too hands-off leaders risk leaving their team without the support they need to thrive, leading to confusion, missed targets, and disengagement.
Reflection Questions:
– Am I stepping in too frequently to correct or control the work of my team?
– Do I trust my team to make decisions, or do I feel the need to approve everything?
– How often do I delegate responsibilities and genuinely empower my team to take ownership?
– Am I investing in developing my team member skills to take on work I am doing?
– Have there been situations where I’ve been too hands-off, leaving my team to struggle without enough guidance?
Practical Tip: Regularly review your approach to delegation. Ask your team for feedback on how empowered they feel in their roles, and identify areas where you can step back or step in as needed.
3. Communication: Am I Telling More Than Listening or Not Speaking Up Enough?
Leadership often requires clear, decisive communication. However, excellent leadership communication involves balance. Leaders who are always speaking and never listening may find themselves disconnected from the needs of their team. Conversely, leaders who only listen without offering enough clear direction can create uncertainty and a lack of vision.
Finding the right balance between speaking and listening is crucial. Leaders who listen actively build trust, gain valuable insights, and show their team that their voices matter. Meanwhile, leaders who communicate their vision and expectations give the team purpose and direction.
Reflection Questions:
– How often do I ask my team for their input, and how well do I listen to their concerns or ideas?
– When was the last time I adjusted my plans based on feedback from my team?
– Do I clearly communicate my vision and goals, or do I assume that my team already understands them?
– Have there been times when I’ve spoken too much and not given others enough room to share their perspectives?
Practical Tip: Create space for open dialogue in your meetings by setting aside specific time for team members to voice their thoughts and concerns. Balance that with clear, actionable communication about expectations and next steps.
4. Long-Term Vision vs. Short-Term Focus: Are You Balancing Today’s Needs with Tomorrow’s Goals?
Leaders often need to balance the urgency of short-term tasks with the importance of long-term strategy. Leaders who focus too much on immediate tasks may lose sight of the bigger picture, while those who are too focused on the future may neglect the pressing needs of the present.
Finding the balance between these two perspectives is critical for sustainable leadership. You must ensure that today’s work moves you toward tomorrow’s goals without sacrificing immediate needs or opportunities.
Reflection Questions:
– Am I too focused on short-term challenges, neglecting our long-term goals?
– Do I regularly communicate the long-term vision to my team, ensuring they see how today’s work connects to the future?
– Am I spending too much time casting the future vision without enabling today’s execution?
– How do I prioritize tasks to address immediate needs and future growth?
– Have I allowed day-to-day tasks to distract me from steering the organization toward its broader goals?
Practical Tip: Schedule quarterly strategy sessions with your team to revisit long-term goals and ensure your daily operations align with future objectives.
Finding a New Balance
After yanking my right leg a bit and watching me limp around, I was relieved to hear the physical therapist announce,
“I know what your problem is, and it’s fixable!”
My leg and hip muscles were out of balance, and adding a simple regiment of daily hip exercises made a difference. The pain went away within weeks because of this pause and adjustment, and I was back in balance.
Leadership, like physical balance, requires ongoing attention and adjustment. As you reflect on your leadership journey, remember that imbalances are a natural part of growth. The key is to remain aware, humble, and willing to make the necessary adjustments to ensure that you and your team progress effectively.
(Image credit: Aziz Acharki, Unslpash)