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Key Highlights

• Distinguishing problems from dilemmas: - Problems are solvable issues where you have control or influence - Dilemmas are situations largely outside your control that must be managed - Recognizing the difference changes your approach and energy allocation
• Hallmarks of a dilemma: - It's 90-100% out of your control - Attempting to solve it often makes things worse - It has a "long tail" with cascading effects - When you zoom out, you see it has many tentacles across the organization
• Effective approaches to dilemmas: - Reframe as "not yet" rather than "never" - Focus on what you can control rather than what you can't - Document potential solutions for when circumstances change - Choose effectiveness over being right
• Leadership communication strategies: - Help teams recognize dilemmas without becoming demotivated - Validate past work when implementing change - Involve people in data collection and analysis - Redirect energy toward solvable problems

Notable Quotes

• "Do you want to be right or do you want to be effective? Pick one."
• "Just because the answer is 'not yet' doesn't mean that it's 'never'."
• "You can't just only talk about the new legacy going forward because that erases what everyone else has done so far."
• "Think of yourself as a precious resource here... focus on the places where you're going to get the biggest return on your investment."
• "The measure of success is nobody's talking about it anymore."

Featured Speaker

Diana Hong is a Partner and Executive Coach at CRA | Admired Leadership with over 20 years of experience advising on strategic communication, change management, executive visibility, and stakeholder relationships. She specializes in coaching leaders and teams through complex organizational challenges and has worked with clients across numerous industries. Diana is known for her practical approach to leadership development and her ability to help leaders distinguish between problems they can solve and dilemmas they must manage.

Resources Mentioned

• Field Note on the distinction between problems and dilemmas
• Upcoming Style Code webinar series on executive presence
• On-location events in New York and other cities
• Option to schedule 10-minute coaching sessions with Admired Leadership coaches