Chapter 1
Paradox Thinking: What Is It and Why Use It?
“The test of a first-rate intelligence isthe ability to hold two opposed ideasin the mind at the same time, and stillretain the ability to function.”
—F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Crack-Up
My new client had a lot on the line. It was no longer the golden years in which companies like his could hold on to the status quo and make profits. Money was tight, and he was feeling intense pressure to make changes that would boost profits immediately.
He started our first meeting with a story I’d heard many times before: “We’re struggling. We need to cut costs, but if we don’t invest in growth opportunities, the company will wither away.”
“Let’s look at the challenge through a different lens,” I suggested. ...
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