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- Key Questions to Reflect Upon: We prepared some thought-provoking questions designed for your personal reflection
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- Guided Polarity Practices: Designed to help you integrate polarity thinking into your life
Perspective Shift:
- “Evil” is not a source but a symptom of mismanaged polarities. Instead of seeing social dysfunctions as the result of evil forces, we can view them as imbalances in how we manage interdependent forces.
- Both/and thinking is as essential as either/or thinking. Complex issues often require balancing opposites rather than choosing one side. Recognizing when to use both/and thinking leads to more inclusive, sustainable solutions.
- Ignoring the downsides of polarities creates vicious cycles. Over-focusing on one side of a polarity leads to negative consequences, while acknowledging and managing both sides breaks harmful cycles and prevents systemic dysfunctions.
- Effective leadership is about navigating polarities. Leaders succeed not by choosing sides, but by balancing opposing forces. This creates healthier organizations and communities that can thrive in complexity.
“The problem is that we tend to assume that if there is an evil result, then there must be an inherently evil source, which we must find. I’m suggesting that there is no inherently evil source.”Barry Johnson
As our society grapples with deep divisions and increasingly complex problems, we often find ourselves stuck in an “either/or” mindset — choosing sides, assigning blame, and projecting “evil” onto each other in order to make sense of systemic dysfunctions like poverty, racism, and climate change.
But what if the true cause of these issues isn’t some evil or malevolent force whispering to us from the shadows, but rather the kinds of partial thinking that are going into these decisions? What if, by shifting from an “either/or” mindset to a “both/and” mindset, we can better understand the complexity of these issues and work toward more inclusive, balanced, and sustainable solutions?
In this thought-provoking presentation, we dive deep into the revolutionary framework of polarity thinking with Barry Johnson, the creator of Polarity Management. Barry challenges conventional problem-solving approaches by introducing a powerful alternative: managing polarities — interdependent forces that both have upsides and downsides. Drawing on real-world examples like poverty, racism, sexism, and environmental crises, Barry explains how our failure to balance polarities is at the root of many systemic issues.
Rather than viewing complex societal problems as having an “evil source” that needs to be eradicated, Barry reframes these challenges as symptoms of mismanaged polarities, such as justice vs. mercy, freedom vs. equality, and power vs. shared leadership. Throughout the episode, Barry reveals how adopting a “both/and” mindset, instead of the traditional “either/or” approach, can break vicious cycles of inequality and conflict, leading to sustainable solutions in both personal and collective contexts.
That doesn’t mean we discard “either/or” thinking entirely — after all, insisting that “both/and” is always better than “either/or” would itself be a form of binary “either/or” thinking. The real skill in polarity management lies in discerning when to apply each approach. Some situations call for clear, decisive choices, while others require a more nuanced balance of opposites. Understanding this distinction is key to navigating complex issues with greater wisdom and effectiveness.
Tune in to learn how balancing polarities can help us navigate today’s most pressing issues and why this paradigm shift is crucial for social justice, equity, and systemic transformation.
Core Polarities
Key Questions
Here are some questions you can contemplate while listening to this discussion. We suggest you take some time to use these as journaling prompts.
- When in my life or work do I rely most heavily on Either/Or thinking, and when do I lean more into Both/And thinking? Think about recent decisions or situations where you had to choose between simplicity and complexity. Consider how you might benefit from using both approaches more fluidly.
- What polarities do I need to manage in my personal relationships? Identify tensions in your relationships, such as independence vs. closeness, and examine how you can honor both sides rather than prioritizing one. Ask yourself how both can coexist to improve the relationship.
- Am I prioritizing short-term gains over long-term sustainability in my decisions? Evaluate your recent choices in areas like work, finances, or health. Identify where you might be over-focused on immediate needs at the expense of long-term outcomes and consider how you can create a more balanced approach.
- What fears are holding me back from embracing the upsides of both poles in my decisions? Explore the fears that arise when you imagine giving attention to the opposite pole of a polarity. Find strategies for reducing these fears by ensuring that neither pole is neglected.
- How can I recognize when I am stuck in a vicious cycle or focusing too much on one pole? Think about recurring issues or conflicts in your life and identify whether they stem from overemphasizing one side of a polarity. Consider how integrating the other side might break these negative cycles.
- Where in my life am I projecting blame onto an “evil source” rather than understanding the systemic dynamics at play? Examine areas where you may be scapegoating others or externalizing blame. Shift your focus toward recognizing the role of mismanaged polarities and take steps to address the underlying tension.
- What would it look like to embrace both freedom and responsibility in my life? Consider the balance between personal autonomy and the responsibilities you have toward others. Practice finding ways to honor your freedom while fulfilling your obligations to your community or society.
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About Barry Johnson
In 1975, Barry created the first Polarity Map® and set of principles. He is an avid outdoorsman and intrepid traveler, and brings head and heart together in his teaching and consulting. Barry and his wife, Dana, have 5 children and 11 grandchildren.