'Stuck In The Middle': Leadership Requires Judgement, Not Absolute Certainty - Says Palan

CYBERJAYA, Sept 12 (Bernama) -- Leaders should not wait for absolute certainty before making difficult decisions, as some of the most consequential choices have to be made when information is incomplete and competing options both carry merit, says University of Cyberjaya Pro Chancellor Tan Sri Dr R. Palan.

He said leadership was often tested not when the answer was obvious, but in situations where individuals found themselves "in the middle", caught between competing demands, perspectives and uncertainties.

"We don't have to resolve every tension before we act. All that we can do is to make a considered judgement and move forward," he said at the launch of his latest book, titled "Stuck in the Middle", here today.

Palan said the idea challenges the common perception that being caught between two choices reflects indecision, avoidance or an inability to take a firm position.

Instead, he said, there are situations where "both sides contain some truth, and neither side is enough", requiring leaders to weigh competing considerations before deciding on the way forward.

He said the COVID-19 pandemic was a powerful example of decision-making under uncertainty, when information was incomplete, scientific understanding was evolving and yet decisions could not simply be postponed.

"We wanted certainty, but certainty was not available. Decisions had to be made, or we had to risk millions of lives in loss.

"The learning point that we found is that you don't always have to be certain to make a decision," he added.

Palan said judgement was also influenced by perception, which could shape decisions even before facts were properly assessed.

He illustrated this through his experience at a chess tournament where three opponents failed to turn up to play against him despite having higher chess rankings, apparently because they were intimidated by his position as the university's Pro Chancellor.

Palan said the idea for the book emerged largely from 18 podcast episodes he conducted last year, followed by another in January this year, which challenged his assumptions and exposed him to differing perspectives on leadership, business and life.

He said the conversations made him reflect on how people are often convinced that their own views are right, while those on the opposing side are equally certain of theirs.

Palan said that recurring tension became the central idea behind the book, particularly in situations where neither side offers a complete answer.

"It’s about those moments when both sides contain some truth, and neither side is enough. So how do we navigate that middle? How do we navigate that uncertainty?” he said.

That question subsequently led him to develop the 6R Ambivalence Framework, which provides the theoretical foundation for the book.

Palan said it took him about a year and a half to complete Stuck in the Middle, drawing not only from the podcast conversations but also from established writings and lessons accumulated through his own life journey.

He dedicated the book to his wife, Kamatchi, whom he credited with standing by him through challenges, failures, disappointments and successes, while providing balance between his ideas and practical realities, and between work and family.

Reflecting on his grandson and future generations, Palan said perhaps the greatest legacy one can leave is not a ready-made set of answers, but the ability to exercise judgment, find one's own path and navigate an unpredictable world.

“The legacy that we can leave behind for the next generation is not giving them all the answers, but helping them prepare to write their own questions so that they can find their own answers,” he said.

Also present at the book launch were President Emeritus of the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) Tan Sri Dr Soh Thian Lai and founder and Executive Chairman of Top Glove Corporation Bhd Tan Sri Dr Lim Wee Chai.

Published by University of Malaya Press and priced at RM50, all royalty proceeds from Stuck in the Middle will be donated to educational charities, reflecting Palan's commitment to widening access to education.

The event also saw the launch of The Digital Detox: Rediscovering Europe Beyond the Screen, co-authored by Palan and his daughter Shrieeya Palan. A complimentary copy of The Digital Detox was presented with every copy of Stuck in the Middle purchased at the launch.

-- BERNAMA