Paradoxes of Leadership

Our world is changing. It changes at an accelerating rate. So should we, if we want to keep up with the change. We need to re-invent ourselves, as we have been re-inventing our environment. We have become the chief architects of life on earth. But the chief architect more resembles the magician’s apprentice, because the impact of change we are causing is beyond our grasp, creating climate change and upsetting our ecosystem.

Paradoxes of Leadership is written for the leaders and shapers of this new world: the ones who are clever enough to understand that in order to recreate a better world, we need to become smarter than our previous selves. Based on hundreds of observations of managers in action in the NeuroTrainingLabTM, Steven Poelmans developed the Paradox Theory of Leadership. Its central premise is that successful managers are capable of balancing many paradoxes, while engaging in complex human interactions that involve solving problems and building relationships.

In order to balance paradoxical behaviours, leaders need "brain flexibility", the capacity to effortlessly switch between different brain states or mindsets, and "brain resilience", which is the capability to bounce back from cognitive overload or emotional turmoil. This book is about how to lead and interconnect people in the knowledge and service society, with the brain in mind.

Steven Poelmans is Professor of Neuroscience and Strategic Leadership, and Melexis Endowed Chair of Neuroscience- and Technology-enabled High Performance Organisations at Antwerp Management School / University of Antwerp.