Leadership is not always sunshine and rainbows. In fact, leading can be hard, but it is in the struggle where we often experience the most growth. Just like a great piece of music takes us on a journey through tension, dissonance, harmonic changes, release, and resolution, leaders also encounter challenges and tensions while leading groups of people. How we choose to maneuver and negotiate through the dissonance largely determines how we can find resolution and create harmony.
Here are 5 Leadership Tips to lead from dissonance to harmony.
- Just as musicians lean into dissonance, leaders should not shy away from dissonance to discover what can be learned from challenges. For example, differing opinions can be valuable because they help us to look at things from different perspectives. Rather than shutting down opposing viewpoints, encourage conversations to bring out what people think and feel. Even if you don’t change your mind, you will be respected for being open to possibilities.
- Dissonance in the culture of a group can reflect a lack of alignment with the vision, goals, and purpose amongst the members and the leader. Strive to create harmony by involving the members in establishing a vision, goals, and purpose that resonates with you and them. Often when the leader imposes their goals on the group without collaboration, buy-in suffers.
- Dissonance in an organization can be a sign that something needs to change. Rather than shutting down opposition or confrontation, embrace it. What can be learned from what is arising? Look in the mirror to assess what you could do differently as a leader. Consider your communication style, openness to ideas, flexibility, clarity, and trust.
- Take time to strengthen connections and relationships with members of the group. Dissonance can arise when we get bogged down or completely laser focused on an outcome without regard to the wellbeing and human side of a community. Taking a break from work for a team-building or bonding activity can resolve tension so that when you return to the goal at hand everyone will engage with a newfound, vibrant energy.
- Just like a resonant chord is well-balanced, strive to create a balanced harmony in your group through providing a solid foundation of values and fundamentals of excellence, a voice for everyone to express themselves, and opportunities for creativity, joy, and play. In music when we move through dissonance and a series of chord changes, the anticipated ultimate resolution can feel like arriving home. May the harmony you strive to create in your group also create a community that feels like home.
