Leading with Agility – A Review by Hwee Peng Tan

Leadership today is no longer about rigid hierarchies or one-size-fits-all solutions. In a recent video review, Hwee Peng Tan, School Board Chairperson, offers her feedback on The 8 Paradoxes of Leadership Agility, a book that challenges leaders to embrace contradictions as strengths.

Tan emphasizes that true leadership agility lies in the ability to navigate paradoxes—to be both decisive and flexible, visionary yet grounded, confident while remaining humble. These qualities may appear contradictory, but together they form the foundation of resilient leadership in uncertain times.

Her reflections remind us that leaders must constantly adapt, balancing structure with creativity and authority with empathy. By doing so, they not only guide their organizations through change but also inspire trust and collaboration among their teams.

This review, part of the Agile Leaders Conversations series, underscores the relevance of agile leadership in education, governance, and beyond. For anyone seeking to strengthen their leadership practice, Tan’s perspective is a valuable reminder: embracing paradox is not a weakness—it’s the key to thriving in complexity.