Reading 1
Smith, W., & Lewis, M. (2022). Both/and thinking: Embracing creative
tensions to solve your toughest problems. Harvard Business Press.
General Overview
Both/And Thinking explores the power of embracing paradoxes to tackle
complex, challenging problems that defy simple either/or solutions. The
book argues that the world’s most vexing problems (from work-life
balance to economic development to social justice) are characterized by
paradoxes that cannot be solved by choosing one side over the
other. Instead, thriving amidst complexity requires both/and thinking, a
mindset and practice that integrates opposing demands to unlock
creative, sustainable solutions.
Introduction: Why Some Problems Are So Challenging
The introduction introduces some central themes:
Tensions: situations with opposing expectations and demands that
create internal tug-of-war.
Dilemmas: presenting problems that force a choice between
alternatives.
Paradoxes: underlying persistent, contradictory yet interdependent
forces that exist simultaneously.
Smith and Lewis emphasize that most challenging problems are not
solved by choosing one side (either/or thinking) but require embracing
both poles simultaneously (both/and thinking). While either/or thinking
may provide short-term relief by reducing uncertainty, it often leads to
vicious cycles, overcorrection, and limited creativity.
They introduce the concept of the paradox system, an integrated set of
tools to help shift assumptions, manage emotions, create boundaries, and
enable dynamics that harness tensions productively.
Part One: Foundations — The Promise and Perils of Paradox
Paradox = contradictory yet interdependent elements that coexist
simultaneously and persist over time.
Yin-Yang Symbol = illustrates paradox through features of contradiction,
interdependence, and persistence.
Historical Roots = paradox thinking dates back over 2,500 years to
Eastern (Lao Tzu) and Western (Heraclitus) philosophy, emphasizing unity
of opposites and constant flux.
Smith and Lewis illustrate paradoxes through stories such as Zita Cobb’s
efforts to revitalize Fogo Island, balancing preservation of tradition with
embracing modernization and global connections.
Smith and Lewis identify four core categories of paradoxes:
, Performing Paradoxes (Why?): conflicting organizational and
personal goals, e.g., mission vs. market, profit vs. social
responsibility.
Learning Paradoxes (When?): tensions across time, e.g., today vs.
tomorrow, stability vs. change, exploration vs. exploitation.
Belonging Paradoxes (Who?): conflicting identities and roles, e.g.,
insider vs. outsider, individual vs. team, multiple social identities.
Organizing Paradoxes (How?): structural tensions, e.g., control vs.
flexibility, centralization vs. decentralization, spontaneity vs.
planning.
They emphasize that paradoxes are often knotted (multiple tensions
reinforcing one another) and nested (similar tensions appearing across
levels), complicating but enriching the challenges.
The Paradox System
To navigate paradoxes, the authors propose a paradox system comprising
four interrelated tools:
Assumptions: Shifting mindsets from either/or to both/and.
Comfort: Developing emotional capacity to tolerate and accept
discomfort.
Boundaries: Creating stable structures that contain tensions.
Dynamics: Enabling adaptive practices that unleash the productive
energy of tensions.
This system addresses paradoxes both personally (through mindset and
emotion) and contextually (through structures and processes), and its
tools work in dynamic interplay.
Takeaways and illustrative examples
There are six main takeaways from this paper:
Paradoxes Are Everywhere: from individual psyche and
relationships to organizations and societies, paradoxes underpin
persistent challenges.
Either/Or Thinking Is Insufficient: common binary thinking leads
to defensiveness, vicious cycles, and missed opportunities.
Both/And Thinking Unlocks Creativity: embracing tensions as
opportunities enables more holistic and sustainable solutions.
Navigating Paradox Is Paradoxical: tools to manage paradoxes
themselves involve balancing opposing forces.
Historical Wisdom Meets Modern Practice: ancient
philosophical insights on paradox inform contemporary
organizational and leadership approaches.
The Paradox System Provides a Practical Roadmap: a
comprehensive toolkit for adopting both/and thinking and managing
tensions constructively.
Illustrative Examples
Smith, W., & Lewis, M. (2022). Both/and thinking: Embracing creative
tensions to solve your toughest problems. Harvard Business Press.
General Overview
Both/And Thinking explores the power of embracing paradoxes to tackle
complex, challenging problems that defy simple either/or solutions. The
book argues that the world’s most vexing problems (from work-life
balance to economic development to social justice) are characterized by
paradoxes that cannot be solved by choosing one side over the
other. Instead, thriving amidst complexity requires both/and thinking, a
mindset and practice that integrates opposing demands to unlock
creative, sustainable solutions.
Introduction: Why Some Problems Are So Challenging
The introduction introduces some central themes:
Tensions: situations with opposing expectations and demands that
create internal tug-of-war.
Dilemmas: presenting problems that force a choice between
alternatives.
Paradoxes: underlying persistent, contradictory yet interdependent
forces that exist simultaneously.
Smith and Lewis emphasize that most challenging problems are not
solved by choosing one side (either/or thinking) but require embracing
both poles simultaneously (both/and thinking). While either/or thinking
may provide short-term relief by reducing uncertainty, it often leads to
vicious cycles, overcorrection, and limited creativity.
They introduce the concept of the paradox system, an integrated set of
tools to help shift assumptions, manage emotions, create boundaries, and
enable dynamics that harness tensions productively.
Part One: Foundations — The Promise and Perils of Paradox
Paradox = contradictory yet interdependent elements that coexist
simultaneously and persist over time.
Yin-Yang Symbol = illustrates paradox through features of contradiction,
interdependence, and persistence.
Historical Roots = paradox thinking dates back over 2,500 years to
Eastern (Lao Tzu) and Western (Heraclitus) philosophy, emphasizing unity
of opposites and constant flux.
Smith and Lewis illustrate paradoxes through stories such as Zita Cobb’s
efforts to revitalize Fogo Island, balancing preservation of tradition with
embracing modernization and global connections.
Smith and Lewis identify four core categories of paradoxes:
, Performing Paradoxes (Why?): conflicting organizational and
personal goals, e.g., mission vs. market, profit vs. social
responsibility.
Learning Paradoxes (When?): tensions across time, e.g., today vs.
tomorrow, stability vs. change, exploration vs. exploitation.
Belonging Paradoxes (Who?): conflicting identities and roles, e.g.,
insider vs. outsider, individual vs. team, multiple social identities.
Organizing Paradoxes (How?): structural tensions, e.g., control vs.
flexibility, centralization vs. decentralization, spontaneity vs.
planning.
They emphasize that paradoxes are often knotted (multiple tensions
reinforcing one another) and nested (similar tensions appearing across
levels), complicating but enriching the challenges.
The Paradox System
To navigate paradoxes, the authors propose a paradox system comprising
four interrelated tools:
Assumptions: Shifting mindsets from either/or to both/and.
Comfort: Developing emotional capacity to tolerate and accept
discomfort.
Boundaries: Creating stable structures that contain tensions.
Dynamics: Enabling adaptive practices that unleash the productive
energy of tensions.
This system addresses paradoxes both personally (through mindset and
emotion) and contextually (through structures and processes), and its
tools work in dynamic interplay.
Takeaways and illustrative examples
There are six main takeaways from this paper:
Paradoxes Are Everywhere: from individual psyche and
relationships to organizations and societies, paradoxes underpin
persistent challenges.
Either/Or Thinking Is Insufficient: common binary thinking leads
to defensiveness, vicious cycles, and missed opportunities.
Both/And Thinking Unlocks Creativity: embracing tensions as
opportunities enables more holistic and sustainable solutions.
Navigating Paradox Is Paradoxical: tools to manage paradoxes
themselves involve balancing opposing forces.
Historical Wisdom Meets Modern Practice: ancient
philosophical insights on paradox inform contemporary
organizational and leadership approaches.
The Paradox System Provides a Practical Roadmap: a
comprehensive toolkit for adopting both/and thinking and managing
tensions constructively.
Illustrative Examples
