Flexibility: The Leadership Skill That Expands Perspective

Audience: Leaders, CEOs, Founders / Owners

Overview: This article explores how psychological flexibility helps leaders move beyond technical expertise to better navigate challenges, broaden perspective, and align decisions with what truly matters. It highlights how awareness, reflection, and values work together to improve leadership effectiveness and outcomes.

This post from Psyche refers to something the author coins as ‘psychological flexibility.’ It goes on to list 5 areas which need to be developed in order to become a ‘better leader.’

Several behaviors and skills can be identified and developed to meet this end, but this is a good start. I was particularly interested in how these 5 worked together — morphed if you will — into a type of behavioral chain.

For example…we know that leading anything or any group requires ‘more than technical expertise.'

Yet the steps in managing this scenario aren’t always so easy to discern, let alone practice...especially if you have more of a technical expertise brain than an emotional one.

So a next step might be to…

Stop and assess your challenges — the emotional kind. Because unless you can identify what’s not working for you or others you care about, you won’t be able to get past the challenge those difficult emotions cause. And no one wants to live there.

So a next step might be to…

Take a step back — way back — to see a broader picture. It’s hard when we’re all so focused on that one ‘goal’. It’s hard when there is pressure to make that number. Yet we can begin to incorporate this broader viewpoint if we try. 

Some of us may be able to do it by ourselves. Some of us may need to take an assessment to identify the traits that help us and those that may get in the way.

Then again, maybe we’re fortunate enough to identify a trusted individual who can ask us the right questions we need to answer to see ourselves more clearly, which is a huge step towards change.

So the next step might be to…

Broaden your viewpoint. Think past your own thoughts. Use that lens to think about the challenges that other viewpoints may create. There are some professions where black and white answers are what they are. But life at home and at work is rarely that way and creativity comes into play along with the thoughts and approaches that it can foster.

So then the next step might be to…

Identify what you value. Yes, value. The granddaddy of them all. Acting on them makes the world go round. It may be easier to identify when it comes to your family values. But they are equally important when it comes to the role you play as the company owner and especially for a leadership team that is driving strategic initiatives.

Because if leaders can identify, honor and model their behaviors, employees who manage and drive the day-to-day business will do the same.

Because yes, values make the world go round.

Cynthia Kyriazis is the Chief Experience Officer at CultureAIP. Her experience includes executive coaching, consulting, and training. Book a 15-minute chat to discuss your people, performance, or profit challenges.