Are You Ambidextrous?
Hey friend,
Lately, I’ve been thinking about what it means to lead in two directions at once—to build something steady and familiar while also stretching toward what’s next.
There’s actually a name for that: ambidextrous leadership (I unpack it here.)
It’s the ability to run your business today while preparing for tomorrow.
It’s not just a clever metaphor... it’s a skill that every modern leader needs.
The Present and the Future
Ambidextrous leadership is the ability to balance two seemingly opposing responsibilities:
- Operational excellence—keeping the business running smoothly day-to-day
- Innovation and exploration—adapting to emerging tech, new ideas and future opportunities
In plain terms: it’s the art of working IN the business and ON the business at the same time.
If you focus only on what’s working now, you risk being left behind when the world shifts. At the same time... if you chase every shiny new idea, you can lose the foundation you’ve worked so hard to build.
This is especially true right now, when tech is changing at a breakneck pace... like the Zero-Gravity ride at Six Flags.
Hop into a time machine with me.
Imagine you and your team are working in a textile mill in the 1800s... weaving curtains by hand, and then... your competitor installs the first mechanical loom. Suddenly, they’re producing a hundred times faster — and you're worried you're going to go out of business.
On the flip side: what if you chase every new loom that hits the market? You're upgrading so fast, your workers can’t keep up. They’re frustrated, undertrained and exhausted. Eventually, you run the risk of losing your team.
That’s exactly what’s happening right now in the AI world. Some business leaders are so resistant to change they won’t touch AI; others are buying every new tool without a plan or training.
The winners will be the ones who strike the balance.
That is ambidextrous leadership. And it's essential in today's world.
Let's Put it into Practice
If you’re a founder, executive or team leader, try this:
1. Ground Your Business.
Do you have a handle on what’s working (or not working) and why? If you don’t know your business inside and out (data, metrics, patterns, etc.), innovation can derail you.
2. Open the Windows.
Invite new voices in. Mentors, peers... even outsiders. Do you have a disruptor at the table who will objectively and courageously bring new ideas to the moment?
3. Run the Dual Track.
Don't be afraid to keep pushing what's working while testing new approaches and methods. You don’t have to choose between tradition and transformation.
4. Bring Your People Along With You.
Look, some of your people will be resistant to change.You hear it all the time with the zillion new AI tools (there's something new every minute!) They don't trust it, or they feel insecure, or maybe they're afraid. In any case, you've got to move forward at the pace of trust. Innovation fails when it leaves the team behind.
5. Interrogate, Don’t Imitate.
Explore new ideas—but don’t chase trends for the sake of appearing “cutting edge.” True innovation has depth, not hype.
So here’s your invitation this week:
As a leader, ask yourself:
- Where do I need to strengthen my grip on the present, and
- Where do I need to loosen it for the future?
The leaders who can do both will shape what comes next.
