The Universal Paradox

When I talk with leaders, I often hear a common frustration: they’re so busy putting out daily fires that they have no time to focus on long-term goals or more strategic work.

It’s an example of a paradox that occurs in every organization. Managing the day-to-day and planning for the future are both critical. Other universal paradoxes? Tending to the tried and true while pursuing creativity and innovation. Managing localized needs while creating global standardization. Upholding sustainability commitments while delivering shareholder value. The list goes on and on.

Leaders struggle daily with contradictory pressures. You may view these strategic paradoxes—or polarities—as “either/or” problems. But what would happen if you reframed them as “both/and” opportunities?

Problem vs. Polarity

We know you face a lot of tough choices at work and in life. You rush to meet short-term demands while long-term goals are neglected. You fight to stay on top of an increasing workload while struggling to be present for your family. You try desperately to find the balance between climbing the career ladder and pursuing your personal passion.

But stop to think: Are these challenges problems to solve or polarities to manage?

A problem has a right (or best) answer. You can address it and pack it away by making an “either/or” choice.

A polarity doesn’t have just one solution. It is ongoing and requires dynamic management and “both/and” thinking.

Leadership requires you to understand the difference between a problem and a polarity, and shift your mindset to see how polarities can spur progress rather than impede it.

There’s no doubt that the scenarios you find yourself in as a leader can create stress and lead to conflict. But polarities don’t have to be conflicting—they can be complementary.

Both/And Leadership

Individual and organizational success depend on your ability to address contradictory pressures, conflicting demands, and competing priorities. Rather than treating them like problems and choosing between them, the most effective leaders embrace “both/and” thinking.

This way of thinking may seem complicated, but it’s necessary because polarities are everywhere. Both/and leadership is a way of managing those ever-present tensions in our complex world.

Polarity Management in Practice

The polarities you may have viewed as problems aren’t going anywhere, and relying on your old ways of problem-solving will be ineffective. The next time you’re wrestling with a complex challenge, ask yourself, “Is this a problem to solve or a polarity to manage?”

A leader I’m working with right now is navigating a classic polarity: fostering long-term innovation while speeding new ideas to market. She leads a newly formed team tasked with identifying and launching adjacent business opportunities—products that don’t yet exist but are natural extensions of the company’s core offerings. Her team is referred to as a hybrid incubator-accelerator, which is a polarity in itself. Incubators are designed to allow space and time for big ideas to develop, while accelerators are built to push forward quickly.

Rather than fretting over how to prioritize efforts, this leader is embracing both models. She and her team have found ways to streamline the new product introduction process to keep things agile, de-risk initiatives by working outside of existing business units, and foster collaboration across functions. They’re also redefining how success is measured by looking at KPIs through a different lens that supports both innovation and speed.

Like this leader, you might be working through a problem that’s actually a polarity. This simple framework can nudge you toward “both/and” thinking.

• Consider the interdependence between the two pressures. Where do they intersect? How does one depend upon the other?
• Encourage dialogue on your team and in your organization. Instead of asking, “Which do we prioritize?” ask, “How can we do both?” Diverse perspectives will help you find solutions that address both sides simultaneously.
• Be flexible and adapt as the context changes. In today’s fast-paced and complex world, the solution you arrive at today may need to look different tomorrow.
• View polarity management as a learning process. Be open to experimentation and encourage feedback to help build a culture of “both/and” thinking.

At Transitions Coaching, we work with leaders every day who are forced to navigate complexity. Our individual coaching and group programs help leaders create meaningful changes in their thinking and behavior. Meet the Transitions Coaching team and learn how we can help you adopt new perspectives to guide your growth as a leader.