“The safest place in a bad storm is the hard truth”. Admiral Stockdale (NOTE: A second Polarity Map from our Public Library of Polarity Maps, appears at the end of this Cliff'sNOTE. It's based on the Stockdale Paradox from Jim Collins, book Good-to-Great.) I was inspired to create the Polarity Map below after a fantastic [...]
In this time of coronavirus quarantine we're navigating the polarity tension of being simultaneously/paradoxically: Socially/physically more distanced from the collective AND Socially/physically more connected with self/a few others As we navigate this tension, it's quite possible we'll find ourselves coming into a deeper awareness of connection to other parts of individual selves we may have [...]
In my lifetime, I've not seen 7 billion people come together to leverage the key polarities such as the ones below (among others): Self Care AND Care for Others Care for Parts AND Care for the Collective Information Accuracy AND Response Implementation Science Focus AND Social Focus Physical/Social Distance AND Emotional Connection Being socially/physically distanced from the [...]
"Polarities," according to Dr. Joel M. Rothaizer, MCC in a May 21, 2019 Forbes article. He goes on to say…. "As Bob Kaplan and Rob Kaiser described in a Harvard Business Review article, strengths overused become weaknesses, and virtues become vices. Most leaders are aware of their areas of weaknesses but are often blind to the downsides of overusing [...]
If you need a fresh perspective on Virtual Team effectiveness now that we’re all going to be doing even more of it – this research may help that Polarity Partnerships, LLC did in collaboration with: Jean Brittain Leslie, Emily Hoole, and Rebecca Anderson, Center for Creative Leadership Margaret Luciano, Ph.D., Arizona State University John Mathieu, [...]
How has the oralonea virus in general hindered our preparation and response to the corona virus? Related to #1, how has the polarized political and social environment specifically served or not served us as a nation, and as a people? (See oralonea virus) What ways of thinking and tools will support us into the future? How might [...]
A special invitation just went out to key political and policy influencers from government, non-profit, academia, and think-tanks for a May 13th workshop entitled: From Polarized to Optimized. We only had space for 30 people -- so if you didn't get an invitation and are experiencing FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), Fear not! We’re exploring ways to [...]
by Cliff Kayser, President and Founder I got sidetracked from this post a month ago when one of our cats had to have emergency surgery to remove a hairball ($6k). I was thinking then about the budding topic of the day, which seems now to be the topic of our time -- the Coronavirus. What [...]
(This article was written in collaboration with my good friends and colleagues, Bert Parlee, PhD and Ann Deaton, PhD) The significant events that impacted your perspective become the stories from which you learn and teach as an authentic leader. (Tichy, 2002) Our organizations, our teams, and our lives are made up of experiences, perspectives, relationships, and [...]
(Portions of the text below is taken from an article by William Benet, PhD, Suzanne Rackl, MM, CFRE, CFRM and Cliff Kayser, MSHR, MSOD, PCC) In 2017, the Institute for Polarities of Democracy was established as a Washington, DC-based nonprofit organization to promote and advance the Polarity Thinking theory of Dr. Barry Johnson and the Polarities of Democracy [...]