Polarity Management: Harmonizing Opposing Values

What is polarity management? How does it impact your leadership?

A polarity is a pair of opposing values or principles that are both important and necessary. 

Take, for example, the polarity of "stability" and "change." It’s one that many organizations struggle with, and it can create tension and conflict if not managed properly.

On one hand, stability is important for creating a sense of continuity and consistency. 

On the other hand, change is necessary for growth and innovation. 

If an organization becomes too focused on stability and ends up resisting change, it may become stagnant and fail to adapt to changing market conditions. 

But, if it becomes too focused on change and ignores the need for stability, it may become chaotic and lose sight of its core values and mission.

At its core, polarity management is about recognizing that many important issues in life and work are not problems to be solved but rather, polarities to be acknowledged and managed.

We need to find ways to balance and integrate opposing values in a way that allows us to benefit from both. 

This requires a willingness to embrace ambiguity and complexity.

As a leader, it's important to be able to recognize polarities and to create a culture that supports polarity management. 

This means fostering an environment of open communication and collaboration, where people feel comfortable exploring different perspectives and experimenting with new approaches.

By embracing polarities and managing them effectively, we can create organizations that are more resilient, adaptive, and successful in the long run.

Remember, not everything is a problem to solve. Recognizing when there are opposing yet equally important polarities allows you to leverage both perspectives. 

What is a polarity that you may have viewed as a problem? 

What side of the polarity do you sit on, and who can you invite from the opposing side, not to solve a problem but to collaborate on the polarity?