“Leadership is plumbing and poetry.” — James March
In her book, Strong Ground, Brené Brown shares this quote that I believe captures the essence of the elusive leadership skill. “Plumbing” refers to the tasks of the role, the coordination and implementation functions that keep the trains running. “Poetry” highlights the intangibles that allow leaders to create a vision and inspire people with it. Both are required for a leader to truly be transformational.
Think about which aspect is your strength, and which side you need to strengthen to enhance your own leadership. It’s needed now more than ever.
Quote from On Leadership by James G. March and Thierry Weil as quoted in Strong Ground by Brené Brown, 2025.
