This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Uros Mitic
In leadership, striking the right balance between conformity and individuality is essential. While blending in with the team fosters cohesion, standing out is crucial for innovation and challenging the status quo. Finding the right balance is a continuous journey, often shaped by personal experiences and cultural influences.
The Zebra Metaphor
Zebras have distinctive black-and-white stripes that, at first glance, might seem like an odd choice for camouflage. However, these patterns actually help them blend into their environment, especially when moving in groups. The stripes create a “motion blur” effect, making it hard for predators, like lions, to single out any one individual. On the other hand, a zebra without stripes would stand out and become an easy target.
Personal Experience with Blending In
For the same reason, my father, who grew up in Yugoslavia during communist times, was strongly opposed to me getting a tattoo 15 years ago.
Why would you want to stand out in a group? Keep your head down, stay quiet, and stay safe.
For most of my childhood, this mindset worked wonders! I was rarely bullied in school, never had trouble fitting in with different groups, and I developed a knack for recognizing the core values of a group so I could blend in as best as possible.
However, over time, I started to see the downside: I was unable to express my true thoughts, wishes, and concerns unless they aligned with the group I was in.
The Turning Point: Embracing Individuality
As I began interacting more with people from other cultures, where self-expression was far more direct, it became obvious that my “zebra” camouflage was a limiting factor. It was eye-opening! These cultures encouraged speaking up, challenging authority, and questioning the majority’s views to ensure they were on the best path forward.
It became clear to me that in order to grow, I had to step out of my comfort zone and begin challenging in the same way. Sure, I might become the “meal” for someone, but if I truly care about the well-being of the group, that’s a risk worth taking.
Balancing Both Philosophies in Leadership
As with most things in life, the truth lies somewhere in the middle (pun intended). As a middle manager, you often have to blend both philosophies and skill sets to be effective and create meaningful impact.
The team you lead and you need to share the same core values. But let’s be realistic: this is difficult because, in most cases, when you join a team, you don’t get to choose its members. Therefore, it’s essential to at least share the same core values and accept the rest as part of your new “identity” as a representative and leader of the team.
However, if there are no shared values, then you’re in the wrong group, and it won’t work out—for them, for you, and certainly not for the company. It’s important to note that ensuring alignment on core values isn’t just your responsibility; the company should also ensure this overlap during the hiring process.
Inside the team, and when communicating with upper management, you can’t afford to avoid challenging the status quo. Failing to do so can lead to suboptimal outcomes and harm the team’s morale and success. You can’t let your team see you as just a messenger between them and upper management. If they do, you’ll lose their trust. Once trust is lost, it’s impossible to effectively lead and grow your people. In practical terms, this translates to: “Not meeting expectations” in your performance reviews.
Fostering a Culture of Constructive Challenge
You need to create an environment where challenges are welcomed, not from a place of ego, but because everyone genuinely cares about the team’s success and the outcomes. Allow others to challenge you too -this builds trust and fosters growth, both for individuals and the team as a whole.
In conclusion, being effective EM is about finding the right balance between conformity and individuality. As a leader, you must understand when to blend in to build trust and when to stand out to challenge the status quo. Embracing this balance not only fosters personal growth but also strengthens your team’s ability to innovate and thrive. By encouraging constructive challenges and fostering a culture of trust, you ensure that your leadership has a lasting impact. Ultimately, the key to successful leadership lies in adapting to the needs of both the group and the greater vision you’re working toward.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Uros Mitic