
Both/And HR: The power of holding tension instead of picking sides
How many times has your organization swung from one extreme to the other? Rigid structure to total flexibility. Data obsession to gut decisions. Flat teams to steep hierarchy. And how many times have you, as an HR professional, been asked to "fix it" by pushing everyone to the opposite side?
Here's what we've gotten wrong: most of our toughest challenges aren't problems to solve. They're paradoxes to manage.
In this highly interactive session, we'll explore the concept of polarities (what Brené Brown calls "paradox" in her new book Strong Ground) and discover why trying to eliminate tension often makes things worse. Together, we'll identify the polarities showing up in your organizations, map them using a simple visual tool, and practice introducing "nudges" that help you get the best of both sides instead of swinging wildly between them.
You'll walk away with practical language and tools to use with your leaders, helping your organization move from either/or thinking to both/and solutions. Because the goal isn't to pick a side. It's to stand in the tension and leverage what both sides offer.