“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.”

– F. Scott Fitzgerald

Ever since learning about the concept of polarities and how it relates to how we show up as leaders, I’ve had a slight obsession. In a nutshell, ‘polarity management’ is the recognition that opposing factors can (and do) exist simultaneously, and we don’t always have to choose between them; we can (and should) leverage both of them. When two opposites are at play, there tends to be tension between them, but it’s actually possible to glean benefits from both sides. Rather than “this or that,” it’s a “best of both worlds” kind of thing.

If you think about it, polarities are a part of our everyday lives. When getting dressed in the morning we need to decide whether it’s a sweat pants kind of day or a suit and heels kind of day. At work, will your team benefit from stability or change right now? The answer to both of these “this or that” decisions is, “it’s both!”

Getting dressed – It’s Tuesday and I have a meeting with a new client, so I’m going to put on my suit and even don uncomfortable heels. But tonight, I have a date with the couch and a bowl of popcorn, so I’ll be changing into comfy sweats later. By the time bedtime comes around, I will have successfully swung between the two opposites, or poles, I was faced with at the beginning of the day. I wore both a suit AND sweats (or if my meeting was virtual, I might even have donned a suit jacket on top AND comfy sweats below; the best of BOTH!).

At work – Stability has been needed on my team for some time now, after many years of constant change. But now that things have stabilized, what we’re producing is becoming rather stale; we haven’t had a new, innovative idea or approach in far too long. It’s time to intentionally and thoughtfully seek out something new; change.

The main idea underpinning the optimization of polarities is thinking carefully about their differences and seeking leverage of the interdependent options; thoughtfully implementing the upsides, or positives elements, of both variables. Barry Johnson, creator of the original Polarity Map and early principles, describes managing polarities a “both / and” situation.

If you’re having trouble envisioning the movement between poles, picture an infinity sign (or an ‘8’ turned on its side), with two seemingly opposite factors at each end. Now envision moving along the line of the 8 from one pole to the other, and back again, depending on what different scenarios call for. Here’s another example: taking a common polarity of individual work vs. teamwork, it’s not feasible to think that working alone will always be the right answer; we’re likely going to need to work with others to achieve our objectives, at least some of the time. It’s also unreasonable for us to work in a team on every task; sometimes we need to work alone. The magic is knowing when and how to move between the interdependent poles of individual work AND teamwork; it’s about optimizing both upsides of each pole without experiencing the downsides of overdoing one pole at the expense of the other. Indeed, one pole without its interdependent other is no longer a strength on its own (just try inhaling WITHOUT exhaling!).

Other common examples in business are:

• Centralized Coordination AND Decentralized Initiatives
• Recognize the Individual AND Recognize the Team
• Reduce Cost AND Improve Quality
• Competing with Others AND Collaborating with Others

Thanks to Systems Thinking Alliance for these examples.

Aren’t Polarities Just Problems?

Not really, no. Problems typically have a beginning and an end, or a solution, whereas polarities are ongoing; never really ending; never really having a final “solution.” In fact, both poles are needed for long term, big picture success. Utilizing one at the complete exclusion of the other will ultimately spell failure.

Want more? Check out this video that does a great job of explaining polarities with everyday terms and examples.