Many of the issues leaders face are not problems to be solved; they are paradoxes to be balanced. A paradox is a seemingly contradictory situation that is nevertheless true. A paradox contains elements that appear to be mutually exclusive and that appear to operate at the same time. Some leadership problems can be addressed with "either/or" thinking, but paradoxes must be addressed with "both/and" thinking. When you experience that, "damned if I do, damned if I don't" feeling, you have encountered a paradox.