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Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems
Some complex problems simply do not have "solutions." The key to being an effective leader is being able to recognize and manage such problems. Polarity Management presents a unique model and set of principles that will challenge you to look at situations in new ways. Also included are exercises to strengthen your skills, and case studies to help you begin applying the model to your own unsolvable problems.
292 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1992
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871 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 14, 2009
If a business book has a single insight that makes me think differently about the world, it is a success. This book does that. Johnson argues that, in many arguments, we don't have disagreements at all. We aren't even having the same conversation. Instead, one person is talking about the strengths of his own position and the weaknesses of it's polar opposite, while his opponent is arguing the strengths of her position, and the weaknesses of ITS opposite. It is possible--indeed, probable--that they are both absolutely right. And so Johnson argues that business people should acknowledge the correctness of both polarities and work to gain the benefits of each and mitigate the risks of each--because both are very real. Johnson isn't the most engaging writer, so this one can be a slog. But his insight is genuine. Worth the effort.
July 19, 2020
This is one of the best new ideas I’ve come across recently.
Builds so well on many things I’ve encountered in my working and consulting life...
Provides so many practical tools for understand the depth of influencing factors behind a current situation, patterns we often run into, and tools to understand a more coherent and complete approach to balancing conflicting goals
Builds so well on many things I’ve encountered in my working and consulting life...
Provides so many practical tools for understand the depth of influencing factors behind a current situation, patterns we often run into, and tools to understand a more coherent and complete approach to balancing conflicting goals
June 28, 2018
This book deserves a 4+ stars rating on ŷ. I wish I knew about this concept a couple of years ago. It can really help drive high stakes conversations to good outcomes.
May 23, 2019
Great book but don’t read it. Johnson’s work has moved on quite a bit since this was published and a new book is coming.
July 17, 2023
This was an informative book that gave some principles and context to a concept that I think I had intuitively realized existed but never really formalized my thinking on.
The book talks about issues that seem like problems to solve but are really polarities. Polarities are two interdependent, but opposite ways of doing or being. Think of centralized governance versus de-centralized governance. Inhaling and exhaling is another example that the author uses quite a bit to demonstrate that these are not one or the other decisions but rather figuring out how to manage the interplay and interaction between the two poles. One common polarity I see in many different areas is exploitation and exploration. Exploitation is taking advantage of what we already know how to do and reaping the rewards from what we do. Exploration is finding and learning about something new that may or may not be useful and most likely isn't going to help us do things more efficiently in the immediate present. Without exploitation, we don't gain the resources (money, food, whatever) to get through the present, but without exploration, we will soon find our skills or abilities no longer being useful as we fall behind others who are discovering new ways of doing things. We need to do both, and the issue is how to manage the interplay between them in the right balance, which of course may change over time and require continuous management.
I especially liked the behavioral patterns discussed in the book on how organizations typically swing from pole to pole over time and methods for traversing between the poles and the quadrants (each pole has a positive and negative quadrant) depending on the amount of resistance to change present in your organization.
The book talks about issues that seem like problems to solve but are really polarities. Polarities are two interdependent, but opposite ways of doing or being. Think of centralized governance versus de-centralized governance. Inhaling and exhaling is another example that the author uses quite a bit to demonstrate that these are not one or the other decisions but rather figuring out how to manage the interplay and interaction between the two poles. One common polarity I see in many different areas is exploitation and exploration. Exploitation is taking advantage of what we already know how to do and reaping the rewards from what we do. Exploration is finding and learning about something new that may or may not be useful and most likely isn't going to help us do things more efficiently in the immediate present. Without exploitation, we don't gain the resources (money, food, whatever) to get through the present, but without exploration, we will soon find our skills or abilities no longer being useful as we fall behind others who are discovering new ways of doing things. We need to do both, and the issue is how to manage the interplay between them in the right balance, which of course may change over time and require continuous management.
I especially liked the behavioral patterns discussed in the book on how organizations typically swing from pole to pole over time and methods for traversing between the poles and the quadrants (each pole has a positive and negative quadrant) depending on the amount of resistance to change present in your organization.
August 28, 2022
This book blew my mind. The principles in polarity management are very easy to grasp, but applying them to some some of my current and past challenges gave me a completely new perspective on them.
Polarity management teaches that many organizational challenges are in fact NOT problems to be solved, but rather polarities to be managed.
This book is well written. It quickly gets to the point of how to detect these polarities and how to manage them better, using an elegant, actionable system. All theory is demonstrated with short stories of relatable examples. That balance between theory and examples makes the book enjoyable to read.
Polarity management teaches that many organizational challenges are in fact NOT problems to be solved, but rather polarities to be managed.
This book is well written. It quickly gets to the point of how to detect these polarities and how to manage them better, using an elegant, actionable system. All theory is demonstrated with short stories of relatable examples. That balance between theory and examples makes the book enjoyable to read.
October 17, 2022
Spotted in talk by Kenny Baas Schwegler & Evelyn Van Kelle from NDC Oslo 2021.
presents a simple model for handling 'polarities' - situations in which opposite (points of view, solutions, systems of values, etc) need a bit of thought. Seems crude enough that it might actually work for conflict resolution, decision support, basic retro/reflection sessions etc
Worthy a quick scan for sure
presents a simple model for handling 'polarities' - situations in which opposite (points of view, solutions, systems of values, etc) need a bit of thought. Seems crude enough that it might actually work for conflict resolution, decision support, basic retro/reflection sessions etc
Worthy a quick scan for sure
August 25, 2017
This book discusses an excellent concept for managing common issues at work, at home, and other locations. The author provides an interesting discussion for changing our thought processes for trying to solve problems when both solutions are indeed factual, but at the opposite end of the spectrum. These completing issues are black & white issues, all or nothing in the solution. The author suggests that the better method is to manage the situation within the grey area, leveraging the benefits of both sides.
January 10, 2022
While I appreciate that this is more than simply saying "everything has pros and cons", it feels dangerously close to being just that. This will have some utility when laying out the framework of seesaw situations where an org tends to drift between two extremes, I don't think that a whole book is necessary to explain the concept; this could have been an article.
January 27, 2019
Reframing some things as polarities to manage as opposed to problems to solve does move the goal posts when looking at situations.
It makes a lot of sense and is a pretty straightforward concept.
Making it work in reality is the big challenge!
It makes a lot of sense and is a pretty straightforward concept.
Making it work in reality is the big challenge!
October 30, 2019
Surprisingly interesting perspective that I had not really considered before when managing problems. Lots of applications and thought provoking. Being an old book it has the virtue of communicating its' message quickly and simply without loads of padding. Recommended
October 8, 2021
Powerful tools for thinking
Highly recommend to startup founders and any designers of organizations that are meant to both grow and last. Polarity management has changed the way I think about many challanges that may company and our people wrestle with.
Highly recommend to startup founders and any designers of organizations that are meant to both grow and last. Polarity management has changed the way I think about many challanges that may company and our people wrestle with.
September 20, 2018
Книга одной идеи. Идея интересная, но растягивать так материал не стоило.
November 28, 2018
Very interesting approach towards "problem solving". Very practical as well
December 26, 2018
Как не занимать крайние позиции, а осознавать +/- полюсов и искать разумный баланс
January 22, 2019
This is a super helpful resource in conflict management, especially in professional contexts such as the workplace.
May 16, 2019
Very helpful idea on managing conflict.
December 26, 2019
Really simple concept that does not require an entire book to explain. I enjoyed the first few chapters and then found the rest to be very repetitive.
January 9, 2021
Lightweight rehash of an idea from Venkatesh Rao’s Tempo. Not bad or wrong, just thin.
August 9, 2021
Great theory with clear process for putting into practice
Half of this book is case studies. The process itself could probably be just as well explained in a chapter or two.
Half of this book is case studies. The process itself could probably be just as well explained in a chapter or two.
August 19, 2022
In a book written for business that has applications elsewhere, including the church, Johnson explains that intractable conflicts can be traced to polarities
September 13, 2023
Brilliant explanation of the difference between problems to be solved and polarities to be managed. So be on ever leader's desk.
June 2, 2011
A crucial tool for consultants and managers--understanding the difference between problems to solve and polarities--two equally valuable approaches or states where the upside of one counters the downside of the other and visa versa...
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September 7, 2007This is an excellent book on learning about leading though dilemmas. One of the best I have read in a while.
May 2, 2012
Good book for people like me who always want to fix the world. Most problems that have been around for hundreds of years can't be fixed only managed. A enjoyable management book for a change.
June 30, 2013
Super book for those in managerial situations needing to learn more about recognizing and managing unsolvable problems. Excellent resource!
August 17, 2015
Now I get it
Problems that are never solved could be polarities to be managed. This a very clear way to create both/and thinking. Worth the read!
Problems that are never solved could be polarities to be managed. This a very clear way to create both/and thinking. Worth the read!
July 16, 2016
The concept and teaching is brilliant. The format and style is a bit of a bore.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
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