Leading out of COVID – Managing Polarities, an organisational balancing act.

In all organisations tension exists in the choices leaders need to make. Often it appears we have “either / or” choices where one is right and the other wrong, when in fact we have “BOTH / AND” choices, co-existing but opposite conditions. These are polarities.

Systemic leaders manage the polarities in their organisations, striking the right balance of energy, attention and resources put into an aspect of the polarity at a given time and context. It is a fluid, not fixed position. Get the balance wrong and you create risk and inefficiencies. Get it right and you create a robust effective system.

In recent weeks it’s likely leaders have adjusted the balance of polarities such as; “push for productivity vs care for our people” or “control over work vs trust them to get on with it” or “tradition vs creative innovation”.

Leading out of Covid, I hope leaders will pay attention to the critical polarities in their organisations intentionally re-balancing and creating new models for living, working and leading.

• What polarities exist in your context?

• Is the balance right?

• What adjustments are needed?
  

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