Rochester Institute of Technology
Polarity Thinking: A Look Within
for greater Self-Knowledge
Margaret Seidler, MPA, Polarity Management Master
Copyright © PMA 2002
Polarity Map ™
www.mypowersurge.com
Material based on work of Barry Johnson, PhD, Founder of Polarity Partnerships, LLC
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Preferences
Instructions: In your handout, notice that the two
columns are related. The items in the left column are
related to the corresponding item in the right column.
For example, activity and rest are related. Please
indicate which of these two items you prefer. So, in
general, do you prefer activity or rest? Go through the
list and circle the alternative you prefer. The one on
the left or the one on the right.
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Session Purpose
• Reflect and gain more insight about myself as a key contributor to
RIT’s success
• Be aware of an approach to help me test the limits of my
knowledge and embrace ambiguity
• Alter my thinking in a positive way about possibilities - building on
what I’ve already mastered
• Think differently about the issues we face as an organization
• Begin to question my own assumptions in the broader context in
service of a shared purpose
• Feel energized about how I might approach the next school year
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360 Leader Feedback (1992)
A legend in my own mind!
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RESILIENCE
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The Door Opened Wide (2001)
Dr. Barry Johnson, Founder of Polarity Management
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The Magic Bullet…
Values are best served in Pairs!
And, if we fail to recognize this, what makes us strong
can also make us weak…
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2
Polarities
Paired values (often
competing) that need each
other over time in order to
achieve a greater purpose
and
Infinity
and
Is the ongoing nature of polarities… an
energy system which is never ending.
Copyright © PMA 2002
Polarity Map ™
Based on the work of Barry Johnson, PhD and Polarity Management Associates
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Polarities have always existed.
Recorded history reflects them.
and
The research is clear…
Individuals and organizations that intuitively
manage polarities out-perform those that don’t.
You have been managing them.
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QUICK
INSIGHT
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There are two truths in
every polarity, both of
which are accurate but
neither of which is
complete.
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Activity!!!
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Positive results from
focusing on Activity
Activity
Negative results from too
much focus on Activity
and no Rest
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Positive results from
focusing on Rest
and
Rest
Negative results from too
much focus on Rest
and no Activity
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Rest
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Experiencing
the Upside
Anticipating
the Downside
Activity
Experiencing
the Upside
Rest
and
Experiencing
the Downside
Experiencing
the Downside
Anticipating
the Upside
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Anticipating
the Downside
Anticipating
the Upside
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Professional Leadership Polarities
Task and Relationship
Candor and Tactfulness
Confidence and Humility
Critical (Objective) Analysis and Encouragement
Control and Empowerment
Structure and Flexibility
Logic and Creativity
Individual Work and Teamwork
Planning and Implementation
Decision Making: Swift and Mindful
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Polarity Principles
To manage dilemmas, paradoxes, you
recognize that…
•
•
•
Two alternatives that are interdependent, meaning
you can only focus on one pole for so long before
you are required to focus on the other pole, like
inhaling and exhaling?
Need each other over time
Indestructible – no matter your preference
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Paradoxical Realities
Professionals who:
– are strong, ask for help
– share power, gain power
– give more, receive more
– take the blame, avoid blame
– take time, save time
– are not simply technicians, lead
Adapted Edward J. Dwyer, 1994
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Polarity Map
• Serves as a “wisdom organizer”
• Provides a container to understand complexity more
concretely
• Makes visible differing points of view based on
preferences
• Shows connection and interdependence
• Increases “Agility to Change”
• Gives opposing voices a place to be heard and
understood in the context of a unifying Greater
Purpose (At the end of the day, we all want…)
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Preferred Value Point of View
Greater Purpose
Positive results
Motivational
Value
Value: Humility
???
Negative results
to avoid
Deeper Fear
Polarity Map™ © 1992, 2008 Polarity Management Associates, LLC / * Thanks to John Scherer, The Scherer
Leadership Center / ** Thanks to De Wit & Meyer BV
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Polarity Map ™
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Missing Point of View
Greater Purpose
Positive results
InterValueValue:
dependent
Confidence
???
Negative results
to avoid
Deeper Fear
Polarity Map™ © 1992, 2008 Polarity Management Associates, LLC / * Thanks to John Scherer, The Scherer
Leadership Center / ** Thanks to De Wit & Meyer BV
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Polarity Map ™
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My Leadership Strengths
Task
Confidence
Swift Decision-maker
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My Leadership Weaknesses
Task…cold, detached
Confidence…arrogance
Swift Decision-maker…leap without looking
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One View – Either this…
High Performing Leader
Positive results
Task
Relationship
Negative results
to avoid
Low Performing
Polarity Map™ © 1992, 2008 Polarity Management Associates, LLC / * Thanks to John Scherer, The Scherer
Leadership Center / ** Thanks to De Wit & Meyer BV
Copyright © PMA 2002
Polarity Map ™
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The Other View - Or That…
High Performing Leader
Positive results
Relationship
Task
Negative results
to avoid
Low Performing Leader
Polarity Map™ © 1992, 2008 Polarity Management Associates, LLC / * Thanks to John Scherer, The Scherer
Leadership Center / ** Thanks to De Wit & Meyer BV
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Polarity Map ™
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Strengths in Pairs
Task and Relationship
Confidence and Humility
Swift Mindful and Decision-making
The Power of And
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See the Positives of BOTH
Greater Purpose Statement (GPS)
* - why balance this polarity?
High Performing Leader
Values = positive results of focus on the
left pole
Values = positive results of focus on the
right pole
• Get things done
• Concern for those
doing the work
Task
and
Relationship
• Cold, detached from
those doing the work
• Feelings get in the
way of work getting
done
Fears = negative results of over-focus on the
left pole to the neglect of the right pole
Fears = negative results of over-focus on the
right pole to the neglect of the left pole
Low Performing Leader
Deeper Fear from lack of balance
Polarity Map™ © 1992, 2008 Polarity Management Associates, LLC / * Thanks to John Scherer, The Scherer
Leadership Center / ** Thanks to De Wit & Meyer BV / *** Thanks to Todd Johnson, Rivertown Consultants
Copyright © PMA 2002
Polarity Map ™
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See the Positives of BOTH
Greater Purpose Statement (GPS)
* - why balance this polarity?
High Performing Leader
Values = positive results of focus on the
left pole
Values = positive results of focus on the
right pole
• Get things done
• Concern for those
doing the work
Task
and
Relationship
• Cold, detached from
those doing the work
• Feelings get in the
way of work getting
done
Fears = negative results of over-focus on the
left pole to the neglect of the right pole
Fears = negative results of over-focus on the
right pole to the neglect of the left pole
Low Performing Leader
Deeper Fear from lack of balance
Polarity Map™ © 1992, 2008 Polarity Management Associates, LLC / * Thanks to John Scherer, The Scherer
Leadership Center / ** Thanks to De Wit & Meyer BV / *** Thanks to Todd Johnson, Rivertown Consultants
Copyright © PMA 2002
Polarity Map ™
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Greater Purpose
Preferred
Value
and
Interdependent
Value
Deeper Fear
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On-going Movement
Preferred
Value
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and
Interdependent
Value
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Strength becomes a Weakness without the Both Over Time
Greater Purpose
Because I value
these positive
results
So I have a blind spot
about these positive
results
Preferred
Value
and
Due to my blind spot,
I end up down here
Interdependent
Value
I also fear and want to
avoid these negative
getting these
results
negative results
Deeper Fear
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Polarity Map ™
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Getting the Positives of both Viewpoints
Greater Purpose Statement (GPS) * - why balance this polarity?
Values = positive results of focus on the
left pole
Values = positive results of focus on the
right pole
and
Fears = negative results of over-focus on the
left pole to the neglect of the right pole
Fears = negative results of over-focus on the
right pole to the neglect of the left pole
Deeper Fear from lack of balance
Polarity Map™ © 1992, 2008 Polarity Management Associates, LLC / * Thanks to John Scherer, The Scherer
Leadership Center / ** Thanks to De Wit & Meyer BV / *** Thanks to Todd Johnson, Rivertown Consultants
Copyright © PMA 2002
Polarity Map ™
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Virtuous Cycles and Vicious Cycles
**
Motivational
Value
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and
Interdependent
Value
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Synergy Achieves a Greater Purpose & Generates New Potential
Greater Purpose Statement (GPS) * - why balance this polarity?
Values = positive results of focus on the
left pole
**
Values = positive results of focus on the
right pole
and
Fears = negative results of over-focus on the
left pole to the neglect of the right pole
Fears = negative results of over-focus on the
right pole to the neglect of the left pole
Deeper Fear from lack of balance
Polarity Map™ © 1992, 2008 Polarity Management Associates, LLC / * Thanks to John Scherer, The Scherer
Leadership Center / ** Thanks to De Wit & Meyer BV / *** Thanks to Todd Johnson, Rivertown Consultants
Copyright © PMA 2002
Polarity Map ™
34
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Tap It - #2 Action Steps
Action Steps
How will we gain or maintain the positive
results from focusing on this left pole?
What? Who? By When? Measures?
Greater Purpose Statement (GPS) * - why balance this polarity?
Values = positive results from focusing
on the left pole
**
Values = positive results from focusing
on the right pole
Action Steps
How will we gain or maintain the positive
results from focusing on this right pole?
What? Who? By When? Measures?
and
Early Warnings***
Early Warnings
Measurable indicators (things you can
count) that will let you know that you are
getting into the downside of this left pole.
Measurable indicators (things you can
count) that will let you know that you are
getting into the downside of this right pole.
Fears = negative results from over-focusing
on the left pole to the neglect of the right pole
Fears = negative results from over-focusing
on the right pole to the neglect of the left pole
Deeper Fear from lack of balance
Polarity Map™ © 1992, 2008 Polarity Management Associates, LLC / * Thanks to John Scherer, The Scherer
Leadership Center / ** Thanks to De Wit & Meyer BV / *** Thanks to Todd Johnson, Rivertown Consultants
Copyright © PMA 2002
Polarity Map ™
35
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Tap It - #3 Early Warnings
Action Steps
How will we gain or maintain the positive
results from focusing on this left pole?
What? Who? By When? Measures?
Greater Purpose Statement (GPS) * - why balance this polarity?
Values = positive results from focusing
on the left pole
**
Values = positive results from focusing
on the right pole
Action Steps
How will we gain or maintain the positive
results from focusing on this right pole?
What? Who? By When? Measures?
and
Early Warnings***
Early Warnings
Measurable indicators (things you can
count) that will let you know that you are
getting into the downside of this left pole.
Measurable indicators (things you can
count) that will let you know that you are
getting into the downside of this right pole.
Fears = negative results from over-focusing
on the left pole to the neglect of the right pole
Fears = negative results from over-focusing
on the right pole to the neglect of the left pole
Deeper Fear from lack of balance
Polarity Map™ © 1992, 2008 Polarity Management Associates, LLC / * Thanks to John Scherer, The Scherer
Leadership Center / ** Thanks to De Wit & Meyer BV / *** Thanks to Todd Johnson, Rivertown Consultants
Copyright © PMA 2002
Polarity Map ™
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Keys
• Both values are important.
• They are interdependent, often opposites, that need each other
over time in order to sustain leadership effectiveness
• If you over focus on “Task” and neglect “Relationship” you will
get the negative results of “Reality.” The reverse is also true.
• To move from the downside of either Value, you must focus on
the interdependent Value.
• The oscillation is ongoing……..the natural tension between the
two is unavoidable, unsolvable, indestructible, and can be
tapped to raise performance to a higher level.
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Power of the “And”
• Live a better life & stand out from the
crowd:
– Embrace extremes on a number of dimensions at
the same time
– Instead of choosing A or B, figure out how to have
A and B
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Enlightened Thinking
“The courage to confront problems I can solve and move on,
The skills to manage polarities that will be with me forever,
And the wisdom to distinguish between the two.
My great discovery: that I myself am a polarity to be managed
not a problem to be solved!”
Dimis Michaelides
Nicosia, Cyprus
June 2011
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High Performing Organization
Leaders who manage
polarities well out
perform those that
don’t
Leadership
Development
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Organizations that
manage polarities well
out perform those
that don’t
and
Organizational
Development
Low Performing Organization
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Polarities in our Lives
Where polarities exist…
– Breathing
– Personal and leadership preferences
– Group dynamics
– Organization issues
– State, national and global policies
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Typical Uses of
Polarity Management
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Leadership development
Change management
Conflict resolution
Strategic planning
Negotiation
Diversity
Coaching
Team development
Employee surveys
Organizational assessment and improvement
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Unsolvable Problems to Manage
for RIT Greatness…
Should we focus on…
Student Centered and Professional Development & Scholarship
Innovation/Flexibility and Traditional Ways/Structure
Teamwork/Collaboration and Individual Initiative
Cross-college Divisions and My Department
Growth of Grants and Quality of Grant Work
Amenities and Academics
Teaching and Learning
Technology Focus and Research Focus
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Thank You!
Margaret Seidler
Author of Power Surge
For more info go to…
www.mypowersurge.com
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