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Embrace Paradox Solve conflicts by replacing either/or with both/and. Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems. By Wendy K. Smith & Marianne W. Lewis. Hardcover. 310 pages. Harvard Business School Publishing, hbr.org.
Working on seemingly intractable problems presents us with dilemmas - choices between alternatives that appear contradictory yet are interdependent. The result can be conflict and polarization. However, conflict isn't negative if we can use it to span boundaries. Novel approaches generated from tension can catalyze creative strategies.
Both/and behavior increases the ability to find solutions with greater participation and buy-in. This book encourages us to reflect on options by using a holistic approach. It goes further than merely identifying paradoxes; it includes how to...