Polarities are opposing goals that fall at either end of a continuum, such as autonomy and supervision.

Polarities create tensions leaders must navigate; poor management of polarities can affect leadership quality.

Being explicit about relevant polarities can benefit both leaders and followers.

When I conduct a workshop or extended program on leadership development, I often start by asking participants to identify the various characteristics of “good leaders.” Regardless of the audience, their lists are typically similar. In other words, the characteristics that define good leaders are not a secret, and there is general agreement as to what those characteristics are. I then follow with a question: “If this isn’t a secret, why don’t we see more actual leaders who exhibit these characteristics?”

Of course there are several viable answers to that question, but one important answer that gets overlooked is polarities that are inherent in leadership within an organization. What’s a polarity? Imagine a continuum, anchored at each end by a competing goal. As you invest more in reaching one of the goals, it’s like a pendulum swinging toward that end of the continuum, and you risk failing to reach the other goal. That is a polarity, and the trick is to continually........

© Psychology Today