Welcome to Both/And-Thinking
Introduction
Every organization faces many different contradictory demands. Doctors need to provide the best possible health care at the lowest possible cost; musicians want to maintain their artistic integrity while earning money; Business leaders need to decide whether to company should focus on innovation or exploit the existing business. Constantly navigating tensions and dilemma situations has become one of the toughest leadership task of our times. Being pulled in two different directions at the same time leads to tension and stress.
Especially in innovative environments, a confident handling of decision dilemmas and conflicting goals is important, as framework conditions can change constantly and different stakeholders need to be addressed. In the past, it was en vogue to find the one optimal solution to every issue. However, research has long shown that in most situations, there is not just one solution – and focusing on just one side of the coin might also be not the best ides. Instead of searching for an optimal either-or decision, the focus of the new discipline of Management of Paradoxes is on dealing with both/and approaches, whereby contradictions, their interdependence, and path dependencies in decisions are proactively recognized and action strategies are derived based on them („paradoxial thinking“).
During this eLearning-Session, you will learn about Paradoxes, what they are, why they are everywhere and how we can cope with them. After the eLearning-Session you are all prepared to try out your knowledge by playing the decision game „Mission Impossible.“
Today's successful business leaders will be those who are most flexible of mind. An ability to embrace new ideas, routinely challenge old ones, and live with paradox will be the effective leader's premier trait. Further, the challenge is for a lifetime. New truths will not emerge easily, Leaders have te guide the ship while simultaneously putting everything up for grabs, Which is itself a fundamental paradox.