Rochester Institute of Technology
Copyright © PMA 2002
Polarity Map ™
Polarity Thinking: A Look across RIT
Margaret Seidler, MPA, Polarity Management Master www.mypowersurge.com
Material based on work of Barry Johnson, PhD, Founder of Polarity Partnerships, LLC
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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.
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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• Transfer your personal learning to organizational opportunities and challenges
• Experience a more thorough examination of chronic, complex issues
• Reveal connections between opposing views in the name of a Greater Purpose that is unifying
• Support your understanding and ability to ask questions/make contributions with difficult issues
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The Value of Either/Or Problem Solving
Positive results from Either/Or Thinking Negative results from rejecting Either/Or
Thinking
Either/Or Thinking is essential for one generation to pass key elements of its culture on to the next generation:
1.
Language – How do you spell ________?
2.
Mathematics – 4+4= _____ ?
3.
History – Who was the conqueror of
Mexico?
Bernal Diaz del Castillo ____?
Cuauhtemoc ____?
Hernan Cortez ____?
Benito Juarez ____ ?
4.
Science – Why do apples fall down off trees rather than up? _____________________
5.
Morals – According to many cultures and religions murder is:
Right ____ Wrong ____
Without Either/Or Thinking, one generation could not pass key elements of its culture to the next generation:
1.
Can’t learn Language
2.
Can’t learn Mathematics
3.
Have no sense of History
4.
Do not understand the basics of how the world works.
5.
No moral compass – don’t know the difference between right and wrong.
•
•
Two important results from getting the right answer:
Success and rewards = “A” grades etc.
When you are right, those who disagree with you are wrong.
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Solution
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Problem
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Solution
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Problem
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Competitive Advantage
VALUES
• Entrepreneurial Initiative
• Speed and responsiveness
• Business unit freedom and innovation
• Business unit recognition
Autonomous
Business Units
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2 Solution
• Integration of business units
• Collaboration and mutual support
• Equality and mutuality
• Efficiencies of coordination
Integrated
Business Units
• Silos – isolation of the units
• Excess competition
• Inequality between the units
• Redundancies
Problem 1
• Bureaucracy and red tape
• Slow and unresponsive
• Excess conformity and lack of innovation
• Lack of unit recognition
Fears
Can ’ t Compete

VALUES
Solution
Competitive Advantage
VALUES
• Entrepreneurial Initiative
• Business unit creativity
• Business unit freedom
• Business unit recognition
• Integration of business units
• Collaboration and mutual support
• Equality and mutuality
• Efficiencies of coordination
Autonomous
Business Units
Integrated
Business Units
FEARS
• Silos – isolation of the units
• Excess competition
• Inequality between the units
• Redundancies
FEARS
• Bureaucracy and red tape
• Lack of business unit creativity
• Excess conformity
• Lack of unit recognition
Problem
Can ’ t Compete

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Competitive Advantage
VALUES
• Entrepreneurial Initiative
• Speed and responsiveness
• Business unit freedom & innovation
• Business unit recognition
VALUES
• Integration of business units
• Collaboration and mutual support
• Equality and mutuality
• Efficiencies of coordination
Autonomous
Business Units and Integrated
Business Units
FEARS
• Silos – isolation of the units
• Excess competition
• Inequality between the units
• Redundancies
FEARS
• Bureaucracy and red tape
• Slow and unresponsive
• Excess conformity and lack of innovation
• Lack of unit recognition
Can ’ t Compete

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Putting Polarity Thinking to Work
See It
Map It
Tap It - #1 Assess Present
Realities
Tap It - # 2 Action Steps
Tap It - #3 Early Warnings
Continue Tapping #1, 2, 3
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Student Centered and Professional Development &
Scholarship Centered
Innovation and Traditional Ways
Flexibility and 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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What I want
Conflict Issue
What they want
What they don’t want
What I don’t want
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• Get winners and losers.
• Lose sight of the big picture.
• Stop listening to the “other” side.
• Limit possibilities and options because we are focused on being “right.”
• Can engender anger, resentment, even hate.
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• Articulate a Goal “Greater Purpose” of common interest
(At the end of the day, we all want…)
• Recognize that multiple viewpoints exist and are essential
• Understand how to get the best of differences
• Consciously manage the tension over time
• Bring awareness of the complexity in a simple way
(Introduce Polarity Thinking)
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Higher Common Purpose
What I want
Self
What they
Don’t want
What they want
Other
What I
Don’t want
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11 Important Organizational Polarities
From Polarity Management Associates
Centralized Coordination AND Decentralized Initiatives
Recognize the Individual AND Recognize the Team
Reduce Cost AND Improve Quality
Competing with Others AND Collaborating with Others
Stability AND Change
Celebrating Our Differences AND Celebrating Our Commonalities
Care for My Part of the Organization AND Care for the Whole Organization
Showing Respect for Every Person AND Showing Respect Based on Performance
Getting the Job Done (task) AND Building Relationships
Taking Care of the Organization AND Taking Care of the Customer
Work AND Home
3 Organizational Polarities
From The Three Tensions by Dominic Dodd and Ken Favaro
Profitability AND Growth
Today AND Tomorrow
The Whole AND The Parts
1 Organizational Polarity
From Built to Last by Collins and Porras
Preserve the Core AND Stimulate Progress
10 Strategic Management Polarities
From Strategy Synthesis by Bob de Wit and Ron Meyer
7 Organizational Polarities
From Managing on the Edge by Richard Tanner Pascale
(Left column = the 7 areas of “ Excellence ” from In Search of Excellence)
Strategy ……...Planned AND Opportunistic
Structure…..….Elitist AND Pluralistic
Systems..……..Mandatory AND Discretionary
Style…………..Managerial AND Transformational
Staff…………..Collegiality AND Individuality
Shared Values…Hard Minds AND Soft Hearts
Skills…………..Maximize AND Meta-mize
Logic AND Creativity
Deliberateness AND Emergentness
Revolution AND Evolution
Markets AND Resources
Responsiveness AND Synergy
Competition AND Collaboration
Compliance AND Choice
Control AND Chaos
Globalization AND Localization
Profitability AND Responsibility
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1994
Built to Last …
The Genius of the
“And”
By Jim Collins &
Jerry Porras
PRESERVE
Core Values
Core Purpose
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CHANGE
Cultural &
Operating practices,
Goals & strategies
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High Performing Organization
Traditionalists and Pioneers
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Low Performing Organization
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Traditionalists
– Honor the past
– Celebrate successes
– Strong connection to core purpose
– Risk adverse
Pioneers
– See what “can” be
– Seek to try different approaches
– Recognize the need for change
– Will take risk to improve
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•Predictable, comfortable
•Build momentum on current work
•Avoid unnecessary risk
Boring, stuck
Neglect the long term picture
Hide from things that are broken
-
•Fresh new ideas, excited
•Innovate for the future
•Fix what is broken
•+
Chaotic, loss of focus
Overwhelmed by change
Risky (fix anything AND everything – no matter need)
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Polarity Thinking enhances
Our ability to Identify and Appreciate our Past and Anticipate our Future.
To: To:
An historical strength which leads to the downside below.
Solution
Preferred Future
Stability Change
From:
Problem
Present State
Unanticipated
Consequences
New Problem

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1. Every change effort is part of a polarity energy system.
2. Treating a polarity as if it were a problem to solve a. Reduces the attainability b. Slows down the process by increasing resistance c. Even if the resistance is overcome, the goal of the change effort is inherently unsustainable
3. If you want to guarantee the failure of a change effort, tie it to one pole of a polarity. If you want success, tie it to both poles
4. Because polarities are indestructible, any polarity you identify will be a solid base on which to build a sustainable change and a sustainable organization.

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1.
What practical applications do you see for polarity methods?
2.
How will you take this back?
3.
What steps can you take within the coming summer break, new school year?
4.
Who can you join with to make this happen?
5.
What's likely to get in your way of what you see as possible now at the end of this session, and how can you best address that now and anticipate/find support?
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Polarity Map ™

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Margaret Seidler
Author of Power Surge
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Polarity Map ™
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