Paradox is a circumstance that, at first, seems to offer no hint of a satisfactory outcome. It is that uncomfortable space “between a rock and a hard place”. It is also an intrinsic part of most “real-world” situations. Because paradox is uncomfortable, people (and organizations) often dispense with it too quickly…failing to see the reality that the paradox represents. As a result, they make decisions and take actions that only appear to represent progress.

Effective organizations learn how to recognize and live constructively with the paradoxes that comprise today’s complex world. They aren’t trapped by an “either/or” mindset that leads to uncertainty and conflict or one dimensional decisions. In these organizations, “and” is the operative approach.