KEYNOTE SPEECH

Leadership Paradoxes

18-Jan-2018 8:45 - 9:30

This presentation takes the audience through the increasing presence of paradoxes in Leadership. Leading is a complex exercise, conducted in a world of contradictions, as on an invisible tightrope. Leaders often have to do both something and its opposite, to maintain the balance permanently, with the risk of falling. They have to live with constant tension. They need to be innovative and cautious; to stimulate efficiency but also effectiveness; to establish and regulate bureaucracy whilst minimising it; to protect but not too much; to exercise power with inclusion; to be assertive but respectful; to show strength but display vulnerability and approachability; to give and take; to make decisions and encourage decision making; to lead and learn. In managing teams and companies we see too many struggles between working and learning. Are they the same, or not? And ultimately, we are now facing one of the main paradoxes – human vs machine. We need them but does this pose a threat, or not? Ultimately, how do we deal with this issue?

Speakers

Miguel Pina e Cunha
Professor of Organization Studies, Nova SBE
Miguel Pina e Cunha is a professor of Organization Studies. He teaches Organizational Behaviour, Leadership and Change Management, and Positive Organization Theory at Nova School of Business and Economics (Nova SBE) and collaborates with other..
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