Practical Wisdom for Leaders with Scott J. Allen, Ph.D.

Navigating Leadership Polarities with Cathy Carroll

Aug 13, 2025
Guest
Cathy Carroll
Cathy Carroll, Founder and President of Legacy Onward, Inc., shares her insights on family business leadership after transitioning from a corporate career. She highlights the essential balance between strategic vision and execution, emphasizing that leadership is about managing polarities rather than resolving them. Cathy discusses the tension between agreeableness and decisiveness, advocating for a collaborative approach to problem-solving. She also draws inspiration from nature, stressing the importance of resilience and humility in effective leadership.
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ANECDOTE

Idea Monkey Derails Execution

  • Peter is an "idea monkey" who keeps introducing new strategies and derails execution.
  • His strength in strategy became an overused liability because the team couldn't complete work.
INSIGHT

Polarities Are Managed, Not Solved

  • A polarity is an interdependent pair (like inhale/exhale) that cannot be solved, only managed.
  • Strategy and execution are a core leadership polarity that both must be held over time.
ANECDOTE

Netflix Balanced Tradition And Innovation

  • Netflix transitioned from DVDs-by-mail to streaming and successfully honored both tradition and innovation.
  • The company managed the tradition/innovation polarity better than competitors like Blockbuster.
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