Polarity Management™: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems

Crusading and Tradition Bearing

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If those crusading win and the work group ignores the concerns

of those tradition bearing to protect the Individual, the group will

end up in the downside of Team. The process will look like arrow

number 2 in Figure 18. In either case, the group or organization will

not benefit from the results.

As a leader, you can improve your effectiveness considerably if

you are able to lead effective crusades and lead effective tradition-

bearing efforts. I know that right now all the hype centers on being a

great leader of change, and that orientation seems to support the cru-

sading forces. But what I am suggesting is that effective change

management requires the ability to be both a crusader and a tradition

bearer. It also means dealing well with your opposition and with the

“undecided” who are not sure which way to go. Paradoxically, to be

really effective at crusading, you will need to be really effective at

tradition bearing, and vice versa.

Crusading

Assume that your company has been experiencing some of the

downsides of focusing on the Individual. You and some of your

colleagues decide that there is a need to improve teamwork.

As you start promoting teamwork, you encounter some resistance.

Often the response of a crusader is to identify all the problems with the

present situation (downside of Individual = L–) and talk about all the

advantages in joining the crusade (upside of Team = R+).

If that works, fine. The system will follow the normal flow from

the downside of one pole to the upside of the other (Step 1 of the

Polarity Two-Step = L– to R+). You will get some of the benefits of

the upside, like feeling more team spirit, and be relieved to have a

common direction. Later, as you experience some of the downsides

of Team (Step 2 of the Polarity Two-Step = R+ to R–), hopefully

you will recognize them and be willing to move back to the upside

of Individual (R– to L+).