Successful Meetings - December 2009 - 21

PLANNER’S WORKSHOP management matters The paradox attack plan: prepare carefully, finesse at the end Making the Most of a Paradox By Sam Allman ccept, don’t fight, the existence of contradictory principles, strategies, and priorities. F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “The sign of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing views in the mind at the same time and still have the ability to function.” When you use your intelligence to address both views, the friction or conflict between opposing principles usually enhances leadership and performance. Paradoxes and polarities are not enemies, but rather beneficial forces; they invite us to find better solutions. In the past, high tolerance for uncertainty was found only in geniuses like Leonardo da Vinci. Now, as change accelerates, all leaders need to thrive in ambiguity. Poise in the face of paradox is key not only to effectiveness, but to sanity in a rapidly changing world. Make it Happen Welcome the conflict or friction between ideas as a source of better ideas. Let the friction between opposites enlighten your group to produce better decisions, styles, and strategies. Be willing to study polarized viewpoints and priorities. By doing so, you will sharply increase the probability of generating unexpected synergy. That’s the power of diversity. The irony is that out of any process keyed on welcoming disagreement, Sam Allman is CEO of Allman Consulting and Training, Inc. He is also a motivational speaker, consultant, and author, whose books include Heart and Mind Selling. For more information, visit www.allmanconsulting.com SuccessfulMeetings.com I December 2009 I SM I 21 Illustration Credit: www.markbrewer.com conflict, and differing viewpoints, you develop a corporate culture of heightened sensitivity, harmony, and synergy. Friction between individuals and groups can cause discomfort, but creative collaboration between people with differing ideas can produce better ones. Instead of seeing it as conflict, see it as a means to creativity and improved results. Applying both of the opposing strategies can lead to better results. “In great teams, conflict becomes productive,” writes Peter Senge, author of The Fifth Discipline. “The free flow of conflicting ideas and feelings is critical for creative thinking, and for discovering new solutions that no one individual would have come to on his own.” But in business literature, we find many successful management formulas. And for every formula, there’s an opposite and equally successful formula. Accept the fact that no one style, strategy, or answer works in every situation. The message of polarities is that there’s no single, always-right action. What worked last time may not work this time. You may have been caught in the common trap of the tyranny of the “or.” Avoid the logic that tells you to do either A or B. Instead, embrace the genius of the “and”—the paradoxical view that allows you to pursue both A and B at the same time. As a parent, I learned a long time ago that what works with one child may not work with another. As children are different, so are constituents. Remember you always have at least two choices: do this or do that. Cope. Endure the confusion. Be poised. We rarely succeed by mixing equal amounts of each principle. Extracting maximum power out of two opposites is the challenge of leadership, mastered by few. By sharpening your recognition, finessing, and struggling with paradox, you will enhance your leadership and enjoy showing others how to succeed. SM

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - December 2009

Successful Meetings - December 2009
Contents
Editor's Letter
World Travel Market: Short-Term Outlook Still Bleak, Long-Term Still Bright
Food & Beverage
Incentive Insights
Personal Success
Management Matters
Visionaries
Trade Show Report
Sales & Marketing Meetings

Successful Meetings - December 2009