|
On day 2 of Innovation Convergence 2005, Bob Henn, former global R&D leader of W.L. Gore, gave a very interesting presentation on how to sustain a culture of innovation. Specifically, he talked about “managing polarities” - interdependent opposites that most organizations struggle with, and wrongly assume that they must solve. In reality, Larry explained, these polarities cannot be eliminated, but can only be managed. Common examples of these polarities include:
- Individual vs. team focus
- Centralized vs. decentralized decision-making
- Market pull vs. technology push
- Clear corporate structure vs. flexible structure
To manage these polarities, you would assume that it’s possible for the company to find a mid-point between the polar opposites and stay there. But that’s not the case. Like a pendulum, a company’s culture can never be stationary, and will always swing between the two extremes. In the case of W.L. Gore, a a flexible matrix corporate structure that had served the company well when it only had 600 employees recently became a problem now that it has 6,000 employees.
Once you realize that these polarities exist, and how they change over time, you can then factor them into your leadership decisions. Bob cited a book called Polarity Management by Barry Johnson, which provided the underlying framework for W.L. Gore’s understanding of how to manage this type of cyclical cultural change. |
