Navigating Polarities: Using Both/And Thinking to Lead Transformation

Brian Emerson · Kelly Lewis

Oct 2019 · Paradoxical Press

About this ebook

How do you do two seemingly opposite things at once? How can you be candid and diplomatic, provide structure and flexibility, keep things stable and lead change, and focus on organizational interests while simultaneously doing what's best for employees? Many approach these polarities with either/or thinking, but leaders, teams, and organizations that navigate them using a both/and mindset significantly outperform those who don't. The trick is knowing how.

In their work with thousands of people across the globe, Brian Emerson and Kelly Lewis have seen the tension and stress polarities can create in relationships, teams, and in organizations. In this book, they share the practical tools to transform that tension into a positive driving force by expanding either/or thinking to include a both/and mindset.

About the author

Brian Emerson, Ph.D. is Principal of Andiron, a leadership development and coaching firm committed to helping leaders navigate organizational complexity. He has partnered with organizations to achieve sustained results in leadership development, aligning organizational culture and strategy, and harnessing the power of polarities. Brian has studied and worked with polarities for over 20 years and his research yielded the theories of Suffering Paradox and Navigating Paradox. He teaches about paradox in leadership and organizations at the University of Notre Dame, the University of Maryland, and as co-director of the Certificate in Navigating Polarities at Georgetown University. Brian is the author of A Manager’s Guide to Coaching: Simple and Effective Ways to Get the Best From Your Employees. He lives outside Washington, D.C. where he and his partner are restoring a historic farm and trying their best to keep bees.

Kelly Lewis, PCC, is a Principal of Andiron, a leadership development and coaching firm committed to helping leaders navigate organizational complexity. Kelly leverages her in-depth knowledge of Polarities and Paradox coupled with her fifteen years as a Fortune 500 executive to help her clients navigate the complexity, ambiguity, and rapid change inherent in organizational life by expanding perspectives and increasing capacity for courageous action. Kelly is honored to serve on Georgetown’s Institute for Transformational Leadership faculty and as the Co-Director of the Certificate in Navigating Polarities program. She is a contributing author to On Becoming a Leadership Coach (2008). Kelly lives in Richmond, Virginia with the love of her life and their two furry children.