Leadership Requires Balance: Results and Relationships

Khalid Asad, PhD, Executive Coach, Author

Leadership is not about choosing between results and relationships. It’s about embracing the balance between the two.

Too often, we see leaders tip to one side of the scale. Some become so focused on outcomes that they forget the people who make those outcomes possible. Others are so relational that accountability and performance take a back seat. Neither extreme reflects developed leadership.

At Performance Plus International (PPI), we see this balance as essential. In fact, during a recent interview for a support role, one candidate spoke confidently about managing tasks and producing results. While she appeared effective in handling outcomes, what didn’t come across was her capacity to connect, relate, and be relatable. That missing balance matters.

Why? Because being relational is one of the core domains of developed leadership. It doesn’t mean being overly friendly or casual. It means:

• Connecting: valuing people’s perspectives and contributions.

• Relating: engaging in ways that build trust and respect.

• Being relatable: leading authentically so people see both your humanity and your competence.

Results are non-negotiable in leadership. But how those results are achieved is just as important. Leaders who balance driving outcomes with relational leadership create cultures where trust, collaboration, and performance all thrive.

As leaders, we need to ask ourselves: Am I leaning too far to one side? Do I measure success solely by results, or do I also invest in the quality of my relationships?

I’d love to hear your perspective — how do you strike the balance between being results-driven and being relational in your leadership?

#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #ResultsAndRelationships #ExecutiveCoaching #TeamEngagement #CultureMatters