Encyclopedia of Leadership

7.4

POLARITIES: DEALING WITH

INTRACTABLE PROBLEMS

Inspired by Barry Johnson.

Polarities are those dilemmas that won’t go away, even if you throw more money and resources

at them. Polarity refers to any situation in which two people or groups defend two ends of a

spectrum in a mutually exclusive way. This does not include either–or decisions, like whether

to change suppliers. Neither does it apply to continuums, like whether to use light or heavy

cars. Examples of polarities that allow camps to form around an issue are:

• to centralize versus to decentralize;


• to use a top-down style of management versus a participative management style; or


• to use a team approach versus an individual approach to work.

Leaders need to consider two characteristics of polarities:

✔ Thinking either–or presents a clear view of only half the picture.

✔ In order to lead in polarizing situations, the emphasis has to shift from an either–or to

a both–and approach.

To use the analogy of breathing, humans

cannot have the benefit of one pole—oxygen—

without tending to the other pole—carbon

dioxide. (An ironic implication for organiza-

tions is that breathing, using both poles, is a

life-sustaining process!)

How does this apply to leadership? Just as in

breathing, the opposite camps in a polarized sit-

uation are paradoxically interdependent. Take

the polarity example illustrated here: the ques-

tion of organizing around individuals or teams.

The team pole may tend to praise its own upsides of teamwork, while pointing out the down-

sides of the individual pole. Yet, all leaders know that these poles are interdependent. You can-

not have a strong team without strong individuals. However, if the individuals are too strong,

they may undervalue the contribution of other members; then, in essence, you no longer have

a real team. As a leader, how do you deal with this polarity?

Here is a diagram that illustrates the upsides and downsides (agreed upon by the group) of

the individual versus team choice. Later, the group can design systems and policies to maxi-

mize the upsides and minimize the downsides. While going through this process, keep in mind

that there will always be tension between the two poles. At times, the team will take prece-

dence over the individual, and vice versa.

212 SECTION 7 TOOLS FORPROBLEMSOLVING, DECISIONMAKING, ANDQUALITY

The Breathing Polarity

Problem

Too much carbon dioxide

1

2

3

4

Solution:

Get fresh oxygen

Problem:

Lack of oxygen

Solution:

Clean out carbon dioxide