The search for reconciling insights: a “really useful” tool for managing paradox

Abstract

This article uses stories from organisations to show how the “Helvig Square” can be an accessible and stimulating tool for managers learning to manage paradox. Many of us have been socialised and educated into binary, “either/or” thinking. As managers we find it hard to cope with current management dilemmas, such as how to plan and stay flexible, how to devolve decisions and keep corporate focus. In this article we build on the work of Pascale who uses the concept of paradox and working with “contending opposites”. This is important thinking, but we show how people can still be entrenched in opposing camps and unable to engage in meaningful dialogue. We explore how managers can expand their thinking through using the Helvig Square. This framework provides a tool which represents the problem more fully, offers a means of analysis and enables a focus on action.

Barriers to certified timber and paper uptake in the construction and paper industries in the United Kingdom

“…The International Development Research Centre and the Universalia Management Group conducted a study of organizational analysis frameworks in which they reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of the Seven-S model (Universalia, 2002). Marsh and Macalpine (1999) agree that the Seven-S model is a well known model for analysing organizations, but point out that it is limited to the internal aspects of an organization. To completely understand the issues a company faces when taking on certified timber products, an adapted 'Five Competitive Forces' model was used to take into account external industry and market dynamics.…”

Reflections: Return Paradox to the Wild? Paradox Interventions and Their Implications

“…Unmasking 'degenerate forms' of contending opposites that create misperceptions. Marsh and Macalpine (1999) B. Collaborative dialogue 1. Action Science Reflection and inquiry about contradictions to promote system learning.…”

“…A less popular individually based paradox intervention is the Helvig Square (Marsh & Macalpine, 1999). It takes an interesting linguistic and psychological turn by focusing on 'degenerative forms' of contending opposites.…”

Strateške dualnosti v teoriji in praksi managementa

“…Omenimo pa lahko še druge avtorje, ki so polarnost organizacijskih značilnosti preučevali v kontekstih organizacijskega razvoja in sprememb, uspešnosti, organizacijske kulture, managementa človeških virov, inoviranja in urejenosti, kot npr. Marsh in Macalpine (1999), Lewis (2000) Achtenhagen in Melin (2003), Sanchez-Runde in Pettigrew (2003), Birkinshaw in Gibson (2004), He in Wong (2004), O'Reilly III in Tushman (2004), De Wit in Meyer (2005), Tavčar (2006), Andriopoulos in Lewis (2009), Far-joun (2010), Smith in Lewis (2011), Volberda idr. (2011), Stacey (2011), Fairhurst in Putnam (2012), Biloslavo, Bagnoli in Rusjan Figelj (2013), Fligstein (2013), Jarzabkowski, Le in Van de Ven (2013), Leclercq-Vandelannoitte (2013), Lin (2014), Ho in Lu (2015), Kammerlander idr.…”