261. Both/And Thinking with Dr. Wendy Smith

<p dir="ltr">In today's conversation, I am joined by Dr. Wendy Smith, coauthor of Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems.</p> <p dir="ltr">I don't think we realize it all that much, but our lives are full of paradoxes. Questions like: How can we each express our individuality and be a team player? How do we balance work and life? How can we take care of ourselves while supporting others? How can we manage the core business while innovating for the future?</p> <p dir="ltr">Believe it or not, these are some of the everyday paradoxes that make up our lives. And because our brains tend to default to either/or choices, we choose one option over the other. We deal with uncertainty by asserting certainty. BUT this is not the best way, as you will learn about in today's conversation with Wendy Smith, a co-author of one of my new favorite books: Both/And Thinking.</p> <p dir="ltr">Wendy is the Dana J. Johnson Professor of Management and earned her Ph.D. in organizational behavior at Harvard Business School, where she began her intensive research on strategic paradoxes—how leaders and senior teams effectively respond to contradictory, yet interdependent demands. She is a wealth of amazing information and I can't wait for you to learn from her today.</p> <h3 dir="ltr">Show Notes:</h3> <p dir="ltr" style="padding-left: 40px;">[00:42] In today's conversation, I am joined by Dr. Wendy Smith, coauthor of Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="padding-left: 40px;">[01:46] Wendy is the Dana J. Johnson Professor of Management and faculty director of the Women’s Leadership Initiative at the Lerner College of Business and Economics, at the University of Delaware.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="padding-left: 40px;">[03:57] Wendy shares about herself, her background, and the work she does. She is a professor of organizational behavior and business leadership management. </p> <p dir="ltr" style="padding-left: 40px;">[06:27] We all experien