| Polarity ManagementTM Consultation | |
| There are many ways that Polarity Management consultation can add value
to organizations. Polarity Management Associates has ongoing partnerships with experts from
a variety of disciplines. Each partnership brings the combined expertise of a leading subject
matter expert and the strengths of Polarity Management. Examples include: |
Strategy Works (The Netherlands) is a consulting group which combines robust academic research with practical application experience. They have written the primary textbook on strategic management used by over 200 universities in Europe. Strategy Works use the word "Paradox" to describe what we call polarities. They have identified 10 key Paradoxes (Polarities) at the heart of strategic management. As a matter of fact, both Strategy Works and PMA are very clear that paradox thinking is at the heart of strategic thinking. If you are not thinking paradoxically, you are not being very strategic. If you are interested in addressing major strategy issues and complex, chronic problems, Strategy Works and PMA are a powerful combination for you. | |
R.W. Jacobs Consulting (USA) and Vista Consulting (UK) are our partners when it comes to major change implementation efforts. Robert (Jake) Jacobs wrote the book on Real Time Strategic Change and has a rich range of experience helping organizations move toward their preferred future faster. Jake's approach involves 6 key principles, each is a polarity to manage. Two primary reasons that most change efforts have fallen short of their desired outcomes are: | |
|
1. Organizations have not known how to include key stakeholders in ways that were efficient and
effective. They saw the process as either being directive or participatory rather than knowing how to
get the best of both. R.W.Jacobs and Vista are masters at doing this. 2. Organizations have seen their change efforts as "solutions" to identified "problems." Most change efforts are better understood as self-corrections in an ongoing oscillation between the two poles of key polarities. Mistakenly addressing polarities as problems to solve leads to:
| |
Irvin, Goforth, and Irvin and the National Center for Cultural Healing are two domestic consulting groups we partner with to optimize difference. Many of the central issues within the diversity and cross-cultural dimension of organizational life are polarities to manage. Addressing these issues as problems to solve will only increase the problem. In the era of globalization, the ability to distinguish problems from polarities and intentionally manage polarities has become a core competency. The major research available on differences between national cultures has resulted in the identification of a few key polarities (paradoxes, dilemmas) that distinguish one national culture from the other. When PMA consults with organizations on global, intercultural issues, we team up with IMTeam Consulting in Germany. Michael Buchmann from IMTeam Consulting has 30 years experience as a researcher and international team consultant on 4 continents. If you want to optimize diversity domestically or internationally, PMA has the network to help you. | |
Barry spent the first 10 years of his consulting as a "trouble shooter." It is in this context that the polarity/paradox map and set of principles evolved. We want to address the most important and most chronic issues you are facing. Those tough, chronic issues are chronic because they are imbedded with key polarities that are inherently unsolvable and unavoidable. When you are struggling with one or more key polarities, the essential problem solving skills you have learned will not be up to the job. The skills in identifying and managing key polarities are essential for tapping the conflict as a resource rather than attempting to "solve" it or "end it." If you have some chronic problems you want to leverage to competitive advantage. Give us a call. | |
This dimension belongs in both this PM Consulting Section and in our training section. The reason it is identified here is that we believe any consulting effort is radically enhanced by leaders developing a core competency in Polarity Management. The primary focus is on addressing identified organizational issues. The secondary focus is to increase the capacity of your organization to address similar issues in the future. We help you catch fish and teach you how to fish. | |
We know that you can not isolate the 5 dimensions of organizational life mentioned above. That is why we sometimes combine resources for a custom response to an organization's needs. If you need consulting support with one or more of the above issues, give us a call. | |