When June
became aware her growing impatience with her staff was a result from trying to
solve a problem that was not a problem to solve but a polarity to leverage, her
capacity to be an effective leader increased.
Healthcare
leaders are master problem solvers.
There are many situations and issues that daily require problem solving
skills and decision making. For example,
do we need a policy for xyz? Who should we have complete the survey? And,
Should Mary be promoted to nurse manager? Problems to solve have end
points. They are not ongoing. They have
mutually exclusive opposites. Problems to solve require Or thinking.
Polarities
require Both/And thinking. Both sides of the polarity are important.
There is a natural tension in polarities and the oscillation between both sides
is ongoing. Other realities about
polarities include:
·
Polarities are inherently unsolvable
in that you cannot choose one pole of the pair as a “solution” to the neglect
of the other pole and be successful over time.
·
If you treat a polarity as if it were
a problem to solve, the natural tension between the poles becomes a negative,
self-re-enforcing loop or “vicious cycle” leading to unnecessary dysfunction,
pain and suffering.
·
If you can see a polarity within an
issue, you can leverage the natural tension between the poles so it becomes a
positive, self-re-enforcing loop or “virtuous cycle” lifting you and your
organization to goals unattainable with OR thinking alone.
·
The natural tension within all
polarities is often experienced as resistance.
Polarity thinking helps us leverage the wisdom within this
resistance. It helps us convert resistance
to change into a resource for stability AND change.
·
Polarity thinking helps us see
ourselves and our world more completely thus increasing our capacity to love.
In addition
to Task AND Relationship, other common leadership polarities include: Stability
AND Change, Candor AND Diplomacy, Directive AND Participative, Collaborate AND
Compete, and Conditional Respect AND Unconditional Respect.
What can we
do when we experience the tensions and dilemmas of polarities? Dr. Barry Johnson created the Polarity Map™ and his team at Polarity Partnerships created the 5 Step
S.M.A.L.L process to help leaders leverage polarities.
Seeing – Identify the tension and the
two interdependent poles that when leveraged well will create a virtuous cycle
toward a greater purpose.
Mapping – Determine the upsides
(values) and downsides (fears) of both poles.
Assessing – Gather data to determine
how well or how poorly we are leveraging the polarity.
Learning – Understand what we learn
from the assessment.
Leveraging – Create action steps and
early warning signs that provide us a path to navigate the energy of the
polarity.
June’s map
helped her organize the energy she was experiencing while feeling impatient
with her staff and acknowledge the oscillation of energy needed in the polarity
of Task AND Relationship to help her reach her greater purpose of being an
effective and inspiring leader.
Blog post submitted by: Danine Casper, MHA, St. Joseph’s Adjunct Faculty Member HA 511 Leadership in Health
Administration. Danine is also a
Leadership Coach and Consultant. www.aponicoaching.com and is completing the Polarity Mastery
Program to be a licensed polarity consultant.
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