ng credited for their ability to: create a synergistic effect, provide a common direction, provide mutual support, appreciate every individual's job, and create a cohesive unit. If this is true for teams, than certainly a shift to a team oriented workplace must be the answer. The "problem" is solved. However, with teams aren't the following characteristics also created: too much conformity, bland sameness, too many meetings that last too long, the neglect of personal needs, and the organization only rising to Have you ever noticed that just when you think you may have found a solution to a problem another problem emerges? Then when you fix that problem, you find yourself back to your original issue? Well perhaps you never had a problem that could be solved in the first place. You may have been dealing with a dilemma or a "polarity" that simply needed to be managed!

Dr. Barry Johnson has been working on the Polarity Management" Model and its set of principles since 1975 and this paper has been written to introduce you to some of these concepts. By definition a "problem" is an issue which requires a solution. The goal of a problem is to find a fix to the current situation and move forward to a new reality without being required to ever look back. However, a "polarity" is an issue that needs to be addressed, but the "solution" is not one that can survive independently and will actually still require support from the original issue.

Let's look at an extremely basic polarity that we are all managing very well at this precise moment. This is the polarity of respiration that contains within itself 2 basic "problems". The first problem is the human body's need for oxygen. How do we fix this problem? We breathe in. But is that the "solution" to our problem? If it was we would just continue to breathe in and in and in. Once we breathe in though, our bodies transform that oxygen into carbon dioxide which our bodies dont like. So what can we do? We breathe out. Thus losing the oxygen that was the solution to our first problem. In fact, there was never a problem at all (remember a problem should possess a single and final solution), rather we had a polarity that needed to be managed and this was accomplished through breathing in AND out.

Let's look at another example that is becoming more and more prominent in the corporate environment, the switch to a team-based workplace and dynamic. Many companies now believe the solution to a majority of their work-based problems is a shift to a more team oriented workplace. Teams are being credited for their ability to: create a synergistic effect, provide a common direction, provide mutual support, appreciate every individual's job, and create a cohesive unit. If this is true for teams, than certainly a shift to a team oriented workplace must be the answer. The "problem" is solved. However, with teams aren't the following characteristics also created: too much conformity, bland sameness, too many meetings that last too long, the neglect of personal needs, and the organization only rising to t

oduce you to some of these concepts. By definition a "problem" is an issue which requires a solution. The goal of a problem is to find a fix to the current situation and move forward to a new reality without being required to ever look back. However, a "polarity" is an issue that needs to be addressed, but the "solution" is not one that can survive independently and will actually still require support from the original issue.

Let's look at an extremely basic polarity that we are all managing very well at this precise moment. This is the polarity of respiration that contains within itself 2 basic "problems". The first problem is the human body's need for oxygen. How do we fix this problem? We breathe in. But is that the "solution" to our problem? If it was we would just continue to breathe in and in and in. Once we breathe in though, our bodies transform that oxygen into carbon dioxide which our bodies dont like. So what can we do? We breathe out. Thus losing the oxygen that was the solution to our first problem. In fact, there was never a problem at all (remember a problem should possess a single and final solution), rather we had a polarity that needed to be managed and this was accomplished through breathing in AND out.

Let's look at another example that is becoming more and more prominent in the corporate environment, the switch to a team-based workplace and dynamic. Many companies now believe the solution to a majority of their work-based problems is a shift to a more team oriented workplace. Teams are being credited for their ability to: create a synergistic effect, provide a common direction, provide mutual support, appreciate every individual's job, and create a cohesive unit. If this is true for teams, than certainly a shift to a team oriented workplace must be the answer. The "problem" is solved. However, with teams aren't the following characteristics also created: too much conformity, bland sameness, too many meetings that last too long, the neglect of personal needs, and the organization only rising to

this precise moment. This is the polarity of respiration that contains within itself 2 basic "problems". The first problem is the human body's need for oxygen. How do we fix this problem? We breathe in. But is that the "solution" to our problem? If it was we would just continue to breathe in and in and in. Once we breathe in though, our bodies transform that oxygen into carbon dioxide which our bodies dont like. So what can we do? We breathe out. Thus losing the oxygen that was the solution to our first problem. In fact, there was never a problem at all (remember a problem should possess a single and final solution), rather we had a polarity that needed to be managed and this was accomplished through breathing in AND out.

Let's look at another example that is becoming more and more prominent in the corporate environment, the switch to a team-based workplace and dynamic. Many companies now believe the solution to a majority of their work-based problems is a shift to a more team oriented workplace. Teams are being credited for their ability to: create a synergistic effect, provide a common direction, provide mutual support, appreciate every individual's job, and create a cohesive unit. If this is true for teams, than certainly a shift to a team oriented workplace must be the answer. The "problem" is solved. However, with teams aren't the following characteristics also created: too much conformity, bland sameness, too many meetings that last too long, the neglect of personal needs, and the organization only rising to

m. In fact, there was never a problem at all (remember a problem should possess a single and final solution), rather we had a polarity that needed to be managed and this was accomplished through breathing in AND out.

Let's look at another example that is becoming more and more prominent in the corporate environment, the switch to a team-based workplace and dynamic. Many companies now believe the solution to a majority of their work-based problems is a shift to a more team oriented workplace. Teams are being credited for their ability to: create a synergistic effect, provide a common direction, provide mutual support, appreciate every individual's job, and create a cohesive unit. If this is true for teams, than certainly a shift to a team oriented workplace must be the answer. The "problem" is solved. However, with teams aren't the following characteristics also created: too much conformity, bland sameness, too many meetings that last too long, the neglect of personal needs, and the organization only rising to

ng credited for their ability to: create a synergistic effect, provide a common direction, provide mutual support, appreciate every individual's job, and create a cohesive unit. If this is true for teams, than certainly a shift to a team oriented workplace must be the answer. The "problem" is solved. However, with teams aren't the following characteristics also created: too much conformity, bland sameness, too many meetings that last too long, the neglect of personal needs, and the organization only rising to the level of the lowest common denominator? Perhaps teams aren't the answer after all, because when you focus on the individual you get: individual creativity and initiative, an entrepreneurial spirit, fewer meetings and individual freedom. But if focusing on the individual is so good, then why was there a perceived problem in the first place? Perhaps because with an individual focus you get: people who feel isolated and left out, no common direction, rewards to only those who hit home runs, and no synergist effect or team support!

So what then is the answer? There is in fact no answer to be implemented, rather only a polarity to be managed. In this case the two polarities are the individual and the team. By recognizing these two polarities, organizations can understand and predict the downsides of either pole and strive to maintain a balance between the two positive sides of both poles. Leaders in organizations who understand the strength of managing polarities are more effective because:

- they save time and energy not trying to solve problems which are unsolvable- they have a better understanding of the resistance they may face to organizational changes they wish to make- they will be more effective in negotiating with those in opposition to their changes- they may serve as more effective mediators- they will be able to anticipate and minimize problems that occur within a workplace when polarities are not managed well- decision making will improve when leaders learn the power of the "and" and don't rely constantly on either/or decisions

Polarities are usually found at the heart of any form of major (or minor) organizational change and there are commonly two competing sides. Dr. Johnson has provided labels for each of these sides. The one side has identified problems with the status quo and has a vision for improvement and change. This side has been labeled as the "Crusaders". The Crusaders are the ones who want to move from the downside of the present pole to the upside of the opposite pole. But standing as