Two women. Same company. Two truths.

Two women. Same company. Two truths.

I’m back from #WLC2025 in Las Vegas with a story that stuck.

In a session with young women from across industries, we explored the tension between command-and-control leadership (rules, compliance, clear lines) and engagement leadership (inspiration, strengths, coaching, commitment).

My stance: the best leaders harmonize both - structure with humanity; action with empathy; discipline with flexibility…

Afterward, I asked everyone to assess their company’s dominant style.

One woman stood and shared that her organization is 100% command-and-control. She wondered how she could model engagement and still be seen.

Then another woman stood up to share from the other side of the room. Turns out she works for the same company - and yet, her experience was almost 100% engagement.

Same company. Two very different reads. Neither right nor wrong - just two lenses, each shaped by individual experience. And those lenses drive what we notice, how we act, and the results we get.

When everyone sees the same thing, we miss the magic; different lenses widen the win. Come to think of it, this is why #diversity isn’t a checkbox - it’s a performance advantage.

I paired them up. Get curious. Compare moments, teams, leaders, and decisions. Where are you each standing when you look at the same culture? What might you learn - and model - together?

This isn’t just about a company; swap in “country” and the dynamic holds. Our lenses create our realities. Once we see that, we can seek to widen them - and new options appear.

If you lead people (or want to), try this:

·       Ask three or more colleagues: “When do you feel most ‘command-and-control’? When do you feel most ‘engagement’?” Listen for patterns, not proof.

·       Identify one situation this month that needs more structure - and one that needs more empowerment. Adjust accordingly.

·       Do a lens-swap: partner with someone who sees the culture differently. Shadow each other for a week and debrief what you each noticed.

Harmony over purity. Curiosity over certainty.

That’s where the bigger wins live.

What lens are you leading through this week?