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 a...