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Lead with AND: The Secret to Resilience and Results in a Polarized World
As a leader, you’re committed to making a difference, leaving a mark, and making the world a better place. But when it comes to moving things forward, does it often seem like you’re fighting an uphill battle against broken systems, impossible demands, and unreasonable people?
Leadership development expert, Tim Arnold, has spent over two decades helping professionals manage complexity, increase resilience, and deliver results within organizations such as the United Nations, Compassion International, Royal Bank of Canada, Allstate Insurance, and Siemens.
This secret is to move beyond the traditional Either/Or approach to solving problems and embrace the transformational power of Both/And thinking. When you can successfully leverage the following six leadership tensions, you will break through to a new level of resilience and results:
Become optimistic AND realistic.
Embrace change AND preserve stability.
Become profit focused AND purpose driven.
Have expectations AND extend grace.
Care for others AND care for yourself.
Become confident AND remain humble.
Every leader deserves a way to successfully stay in the game and enjoy the adventure! Your work is important, and right now, the world needs your leadership more than ever. Learn how to rise above polarity, division, and conflicting values. Join effective leaders from around the world who have the courage to lead with AND.
Leadership development expert, Tim Arnold, has spent over two decades helping professionals manage complexity, increase resilience, and deliver results within organizations such as the United Nations, Compassion International, Royal Bank of Canada, Allstate Insurance, and Siemens.
This secret is to move beyond the traditional Either/Or approach to solving problems and embrace the transformational power of Both/And thinking. When you can successfully leverage the following six leadership tensions, you will break through to a new level of resilience and results:
Become optimistic AND realistic.
Embrace change AND preserve stability.
Become profit focused AND purpose driven.
Have expectations AND extend grace.
Care for others AND care for yourself.
Become confident AND remain humble.
Every leader deserves a way to successfully stay in the game and enjoy the adventure! Your work is important, and right now, the world needs your leadership more than ever. Learn how to rise above polarity, division, and conflicting values. Join effective leaders from around the world who have the courage to lead with AND.
- GenresLeadershipNonfiction
224 pages, Paperback
Published January 14, 2022
10 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
Tim Arnold
4 books4 followersTim Arnold has spent over two decades helping leaders manage complexity, increase resilience, and deliver results, with clients that include The United Nations, Royal Bank of Canada, Allstate Insurance, Compassion International, Toyota, and Siemens. After running both a for-profit business and a homeless shelter, he leverages his real-world experience to help organizations pursue both profit and purpose. Tim’s work focuses on helping leaders unleash the superpower of Both/And thinking in an Either/Or world.
Beyond leadership and team development, Tim is an avid fisherman, world traveller, and really bad hockey player. His biggest accomplishments are being dad to Declan and Avryl, and husband to Becky.
Beyond leadership and team development, Tim is an avid fisherman, world traveller, and really bad hockey player. His biggest accomplishments are being dad to Declan and Avryl, and husband to Becky.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 23, 2022
This is a must read - I had so many great aha moments. We know the importance of building resilience and we know that we can be challenged by tensions and polarity. I appreciate the examples and ideas provided.
February 28, 2022
A GREAT READ...BUT NOT JUST FOR LEADERS
While some books on the subject of leadership can be somewhat repetitive and dry reading, both Tim's writing style and the material he is presenting definitely keep the reader engaged. I like how he relates his own experiences, as well as those of other successful leaders, through interviews, who also use the "AND" approach.
After working for many years in business settings under several leaders and with numerous varied clients, I can see what a difference this approach could make in the workplace. Where groups of people are working together tensions are inevitable, but what a difference it would make if people knew that their leaders were taking their thoughts and opinions into consideration; even if they ended up going a somewhat different direction, just the fact of knowing they cared enough to consider them and try to understand where they were coming from would make for such a different working environment. I think "Lead With AND" is a book that a lot of employees would love their employers to read! But I found that the impact of this book does not end there...the implementation of these concepts can also have a positive effect on our everyday living, especially in these times when we are encountering such strong and varied opinions in all areas of life.
I would highly recommend this book, not only for leaders but for anyone who desires to make a positive difference in their own life and in the lives of others. Kudos to Tim on yet another job well done!
While some books on the subject of leadership can be somewhat repetitive and dry reading, both Tim's writing style and the material he is presenting definitely keep the reader engaged. I like how he relates his own experiences, as well as those of other successful leaders, through interviews, who also use the "AND" approach.
After working for many years in business settings under several leaders and with numerous varied clients, I can see what a difference this approach could make in the workplace. Where groups of people are working together tensions are inevitable, but what a difference it would make if people knew that their leaders were taking their thoughts and opinions into consideration; even if they ended up going a somewhat different direction, just the fact of knowing they cared enough to consider them and try to understand where they were coming from would make for such a different working environment. I think "Lead With AND" is a book that a lot of employees would love their employers to read! But I found that the impact of this book does not end there...the implementation of these concepts can also have a positive effect on our everyday living, especially in these times when we are encountering such strong and varied opinions in all areas of life.
I would highly recommend this book, not only for leaders but for anyone who desires to make a positive difference in their own life and in the lives of others. Kudos to Tim on yet another job well done!
April 6, 2022
Loved this book! Tim weaves his own life story and experiences with those of an impressive list of interviewees to show us why Either/Or thinking is so divisive and exactly how to overcome it. In a world of black and white thinking, Tim shows how Both/And thinking is the key to bringing divided people together and getting results. It’s so hard to choose, but some of my favourite excerpts include:
“Sometimes the most challenging people possess the greatest ability to change the world if
they’re given the gift of high expectations and high levels of grace.
Devote your time and energy on making something you’re already good at become something
you’re truly great at.
Staying curious is not about switching sides and exchanging your values and beliefs for someone
else’s; it’s about expanding your values and beliefs to consider someone else’s so that you grow
in wisdom, understanding, and leadership effectiveness.”
Whether you’re currently a leader or an aspiring leader – in business, your community, or at home or school – this book will inspire you. Highly recommend it!
“Sometimes the most challenging people possess the greatest ability to change the world if
they’re given the gift of high expectations and high levels of grace.
Devote your time and energy on making something you’re already good at become something
you’re truly great at.
Staying curious is not about switching sides and exchanging your values and beliefs for someone
else’s; it’s about expanding your values and beliefs to consider someone else’s so that you grow
in wisdom, understanding, and leadership effectiveness.”
Whether you’re currently a leader or an aspiring leader – in business, your community, or at home or school – this book will inspire you. Highly recommend it!
February 24, 2022
This book is pithy, practical, and inspiring—a masterful resource. Author and consultant Tim Arnold has provided leaders with true, relatable stories of the power of AND thinking in action, tools for gaging your own use of several key polarities, or tensions, such as Realism AND Optimism, and strategies to lead with the best of these interdependent yet seemingly contradictory sets of values. Okay, I’m the author of an award-winning book on using polarities in leadership and I LEARNED a ton from these pages. Add it to your at-your-fingertips resources, identify which AND you need to concentrate on right now, engage with your leadership team in conversations about your next steps in leading with AND. With current longings to return to normal after the pandemic AND the fact that things will continue to change, this is the perfect time for studying and using the ideas in this book.
February 26, 2022
“Lead with And” could not come at a better time. Whether for the betterment of our families and friendships, corporations or even our government, Tim Arnold’s book is vitally important. This book offers hope in a world seemingly at its worst when it comes to communication between groups with opposing perspectives or individuals with firmly set beliefs.
This book is much more than a “how to” manual on corporate leading techniques. It exposes the false, toxic dichotomy of choice and presents a better, more gracious way forward in our black and white world. All of us can stand to do better at navigating nuance in the many grey areas of life.
As an artist, entrepreneur and member of the human race, I have found Tim’s book to be incredibly insightful, practically useful and highly recommendable. It is a timely and necessary message; a healing balm for our wounded world.
This book is much more than a “how to” manual on corporate leading techniques. It exposes the false, toxic dichotomy of choice and presents a better, more gracious way forward in our black and white world. All of us can stand to do better at navigating nuance in the many grey areas of life.
As an artist, entrepreneur and member of the human race, I have found Tim’s book to be incredibly insightful, practically useful and highly recommendable. It is a timely and necessary message; a healing balm for our wounded world.
April 14, 2025
The author names and describes 6 key 'tensions' that all leaders need to know how to navigate to be successful. As I read each new chapter based on one of these tensions I was like "YES - this is a challenge we face that just.won't.go.away'. The content in this book really resonated with me and some of the tough leadership lessons I learned along the way - I wish I had read this earlier in my leadership tenure.
I think this book is an excellent read for new or seasoned leaders, as it offers a fresh and critical leadership perspective than a lot of the leadership books out there. You can't treat these 'tensions' as problems to solve with a right and a wrong answer. This will backfire. The author lays out a great framework so that you can actually leverage 'managing' the tension for success, instead of mistakenly trying to 'solve' it.
I think this book is an excellent read for new or seasoned leaders, as it offers a fresh and critical leadership perspective than a lot of the leadership books out there. You can't treat these 'tensions' as problems to solve with a right and a wrong answer. This will backfire. The author lays out a great framework so that you can actually leverage 'managing' the tension for success, instead of mistakenly trying to 'solve' it.
February 3, 2022
I am a peaceful kind of person and I struggle as a leader when conflict arises, especially when it involves people I'm close to. So many people think they have the RIGHT answer to fix a problem. However, life is layered and complex and many things can be true at the same time.
Because of the concepts in this book now when conflict arises in my life or at work, I am more grounded. I have the awareness to bring all of the layers into the light. This helps everyone be seen and heard. It also helps my team move forward to problem solve with everything out in the open instead of issues going unchecked and unaddressed.
This is a must-read for anyone trying to lead in today's world where everyone thinks they have THE answer.
Because of the concepts in this book now when conflict arises in my life or at work, I am more grounded. I have the awareness to bring all of the layers into the light. This helps everyone be seen and heard. It also helps my team move forward to problem solve with everything out in the open instead of issues going unchecked and unaddressed.
This is a must-read for anyone trying to lead in today's world where everyone thinks they have THE answer.
February 26, 2022
This book is written with business and community leaders in mind, but can be a valuable tool for any person who wants to make their world better. Successfully managing tensions that appear to be polar opposites is vital in bringing people together so we can move toward our goals. The book is easy to read: Tim presents six common leadership tensions (my favourite: Having Expectations AND Extending Grace), gives examples from his own well-lived experience, and includes interviews with leaders that inspire and provide practical ways to come together. In today's world we need these skills more than ever.
August 8, 2022
I met the author of this book, Tim Arnold, for the first time, over 7 years ago and we talked about the tyranny of "OR" and I still remember the simplest example he used to explain tensions or polarities...."we dont say inhale OR exhale, do we???"
This book will change how you think of everything as this or that and teach you to think 'this AND that'. And that attitude simply broadens our horizons and removes limitations and boundaries.
Of all the tensions the book talks about, my favorite has to be the one on 'Confidence and Humility'.
This book will change how you think of everything as this or that and teach you to think 'this AND that'. And that attitude simply broadens our horizons and removes limitations and boundaries.
Of all the tensions the book talks about, my favorite has to be the one on 'Confidence and Humility'.
April 16, 2025
Lead with AND is a practical guide on how to lead well by flipping the idea that as an organization we have to choose between different things on its head. Can’t decide whether profit or purpose should come first at your company? Tim shows us how these seemingly polar-opposite choices can be reconciled, and this is just one example of the many seemingly controversial decisions an organization has to make regularly that are demonstrated to be mutually compatible in this wonderful book.
February 22, 2022
Practical, easy to read - seems simple, but then you start seeing "tension" in your work and your life and it challenges you to change your approach. This isn't just a business book - I'm recommending it to friends who aren't in the business world because we keep talking about problems like they're black/white, yes/no - AND thinking is a whole different approach.
February 23, 2022
Although seemingly for leaders in the business world, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Page after page I was challenged and inspired to balance the 6 tensions discussed in the book. I found practical tips to apply to my current stage of life as a stay at home mom. I would recommend this book to anyone in any walk of life.
March 11, 2022
Being a leader is challenging, Tim Arnold's book Lead With AND perfectly challenges how we think leadership should be. Explaining the polarizing context going beyond the typical either/or options for good leaders. If you want to grow as a good leader, this read unpacks why tension is not always a bad thing. This book is packed with value!
April 15, 2025
This one had me nodding the whole way through. It made me realize how often I fall into either/or thinking—and how limiting that can be. Now I always find myself looking for the “and” in situations, especially when working with people who see things differently than I do.
August 19, 2022
Tim does a great job of connecting theoretical ideas to real world experiences.
February 22, 2022
In a world where we are constantly looking for the ‘silver bullet’ solutions, it’s refreshing to find a book that challenges the way we think, rather than giving us the answers. Leading with AND takes deliberate thought and courage- but it becomes clear after reading this book, that it is necessary if we want to live and work in an environment that is less polarizing and more accepting of differing points of view. A must read for leaders- both positional and personal!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews