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Barry Johnson

Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems Paperback – June 12, 2014

by Barry Johnson (Author)

42 ratings

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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.

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

For the past 35 years, Barry Johnson has been working to help create organizations that are good places to work, to own, to do business with and to have in the community. In the process he has founded 5 organizations. Barry is regarded as both an effective consultant and leading thinker in the management field. The Polarity Management Map® and initial set of principles emerged out of his work in 1975. Since then he has continued to develop the map, principles with a variety of organizations all over the world. Barry's title Polarity Management is his work with polarities (dilemmas, paradox) and presents a unique model and set of principles based on that will challenge you to look at situations in new ways. Polarity Management is a top selling and widely referenced University level text that is applicable for both higher education and corporate learning.

Product details

Paperback: 292 pages
Publisher: H R D Press; 60754th edition (June 12, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0874251761
ISBN-13: 978-0874251760
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Customer Reviews: 42 customer ratings
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #407,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #686 in Leadership Training
- #4550 in Business Management (Books)

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4 star		24%
3 star		11%
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Rick Yvanovich

Learn why its a polarity and not a problem to be solved

Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2019

Verified Purchase

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!

One person found this helpful

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Jim L. Battin

It's Not Either/Or; It's Both/And

Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2012

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Barry Johnson's book heightens the readers' awareness of polarities that play themselves out in our everyday lives.

If one can accept the notion that there are many unsolvable problems, the reader can take solace in becoming engaged with the author's thorough explanation of how to identify and manage these polarities. By doing so, the vignettes described are energizing and provide teachable moments.

Some of the lessons of the book are:

We are taught to look at both the upside and downside of polarities.
We see and feel what Johnson calls the `tradition bearing' and `crusading' patterns of behavior.
We see and feel that by considering at all sides of a situation, we can participate in a healthy dance between them.
We rush `to be right' rather than becoming `accurate and complete.'

While some of the concepts are at first difficult to grasp, paradoxically, by following the principles of polarity management itself, the lessons learned can be very powerful and worth the journey.

One person found this helpful

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Messy Miracles

Takes leadership development to a new level

Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2013

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I have long been familiar with the difference between 'both/and' vs, 'either/or' thinking and its application to leadership development. This book takes an In depth look at how to more fully understand how this plays out in all sorts of ways in life, career, relationships...you name it. My coaching clients are learning to question their assumptions and realizing they have more options than they thought. In today's VUCA world (see Kevin Cashman's Pause Principle), the ability to explore polarities and the cycle we can get wrapped up into is a huge advantage. Easy to understand with great examples. Really don't even need a coach to gain the benefits.

One person found this helpful

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Farmerjanis

Eye-opening view into team management

Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2018

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This insightful book explains how to recognize, and what to do with 'team disagreements' that won't stay solved. Simply, or maybe not so simply, some things are not either/or, they are and/both. I was not skilled in seeing the difference. Now I have a chance at it.

One person found this helpful

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Vic Galfano

Polarity vs Problem

Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2017

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Simple concept which can have significant application. The author does a good job of laying out his principle of polarity mgmt vs problem solving. Seemed to stay too much on chosen examples. Short and valuable read. Basis for a lot of re-framing going forward.

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Tirzah M. McPherson

Great for group leaders...

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2015

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Clear and concise; the book teaches great concepts for businesses and individuals. It’s worth a read. I find it helpful when working with groups to go through processes described so that we understand what things would actually look like when they are going well. While we all love to lean on our strengths there's an equilibrium that is necessary to keep work moving forward. This book describes that in a very concrete and clear picture.

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Doug

Good concept - not sure it works in too many situations

Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2014

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Initially, when I read the first chapter, I thought this was a very interesting concept. I believe very strongly that many of the decisions we have to make in our personal and professional lives are unfairly categorized as binary...we fund a project, or not...we buy a new house, or not...polarity management (PM) argues that many of the "fixes" that managers implement at work (eg; centralizing decision-making when too much of the decision-making is the field) just set us up for a pendulum of back and forth.

Using PM would have a manager consider the upside for both "poles" and do her best to keep the decision-making in a best of both worlds status, as long as can be managed. In theory, I do think this is an interesting way of discussing pole-based issues. The book is easily twice as long as it should be and I didn't find the examples to be terribly relevant.

Another issue to bring up is that PM exists on the basis that there are two poles. This can limit decision-making and crush creativity.

6 people found this helpful

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Rosemarie S

A wonderful book, it would be great if its principles were build into education systems

Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2013

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A simple insight into how - if we treat everything & everyone as a problem then everyone & everything becomes a problem.

The model & the explanation works really well in the work environment when trying to explain to people that many things are not solvable, they are part of the cycle of business & life. It also works wonderfully with life stuff.

I recommend this book to others regularly.

2 people found this helpful

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Top international reviews

Susan Glazier

This is a really helpful tool to think with

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 15, 2015

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I used this book at work - it was so helpful to much of my thinking. It is a practical way to avoid excess and extremism which knocks a system out of kilter with negative consequences. I have retired and now feel the need of it in my everyday life (so ordered it for myself) - it is extremely wise and helpful and certainly an excellent tool to plan and think with and the sort of book to have handy to help you think through any problematic situation.

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MrT

A great book!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 17, 2019

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A great book!

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Bard C. Papegaaij

Great approach to change and conflict situations.

Reviewed in Australia on March 19, 2015

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When embarking on a major change program, it's all too easy to fall into a narrative in which the old is bad, and the new is good, creating the false impression that the new situation is going to solve all our problems. In most cases, the new situation may be better in some things, but could also be worse in things the current situation is particularly good at. This book shows that very often a change is not so much a solution, but a change in balance between seemingly opposing values. Trying to force change onto people by claiming it will solve our current problems my be accurate for the problems identified, but is also woefully incomplete with respect to many problems left unspoken. This incompleteness then easily leads to resistance, contrary forces finding reasons to fight each other, false absolutes, and conflict. The book offers a great method for examining the polarities of complex change initiatives, bringing to light the promises and pitfalls of both sides of the conflict or tension. I have used this method in my work and have never been disappointed by its effect on the groups I used it with: the simple fact of shining a clear light on all sides of the conflict is often enough to change the dynamics inside the group, and their attitude towards the world around them. I highly recommend this book for anyone dealing with change and conflict in their work environment.

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Allrighty

Thought provoking and practical

Reviewed in Australia on May 9, 2020

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Great book well written. Dealing with life's paradoxes that we come across every day. There is no right or wrong answer. Applicable in all parts of life.

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Amazon Customer

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada on June 30, 2016

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Great for the consultants tool kit.

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