Cross-walk, below… Backstory, here… Over a decade ago, I met Dr. Bill Benet at a Polarity Learning Community gathering where he shared his doctoral research on the Polarities of Democracy. I was immediately intrigued and deeply impressed by his work. In the intervening years, civic life in the U.S. was fraying at an accelerated pace [...]
AI is not just a technical shift—it is an identity, responsibility, and systems shift for leadership. In a wonderful article published in the Academy of Management Review, Vol. 46, No. 1, 192-210 Raisch & Krakowski (2021) discuss the dynamics at the heart of Artificial Intelligence and Management. I got some initial help from AI to summarize [...]
Engström et al., 2025 describes what happens when organizations begin experimenting with AI—and why the experience often feels confusing, stuck, or fragmented. With some help from AI, I did a summary of the article and added some of my thoughts from my background in Polarity Thinking™. This wonderful article was originally published in the Journal of [...]
At the “Bridging Polarities” Inner Development Goals Summit in Stockholm last month, I attended the AI Track on Day 2. All of the sessions were amazing and I will follow-up with more Cliff’sNOTES – and, I started with this one because – I’ll let the pictures below answer why! And, shout out to presenter Joakim Eriksson, [...]
“If your strategy does not leverage polarity, then it’s not strategic…” -Bob de Wit & Ron Meyer For decades, I’ve used the powerful quote in this Note’s title, so I thought – let’s do a quick summary of Strategy Synthesis to capture the 10 key pairs, their meaning, and how polarity thinking shapes effective strategic [...]
Maria Popova (See: The Marginalian) is on my short-list of people and groups that provide an “Island of Coherence in a Sea of Chaos” in these strange and challenging times. Below is the lead-up to her amazing piece from today on Steinbeck’s Sea of Cortez. And also, my Polarity Map (Quest for Certainty And Openness [...]
Emilio J. Castilla’s recent book, The Meritocracy Paradox: Where Talent Management Strategies Go Wrong and How to Fix Them (2025) will likely fall victim to the anti-woke book-ban with the current administration's exclusive focus on “merit.” What’s wrong with merit hard work and talent? Nothing. Why is this book a chopping block? Because it focuses [...]
One of my greatest professional honors since 2014 has been serving as an Adjunct Faculty member in the KEY Executive Leadership Program at American University—a program dedicated to developing senior-level public sector leaders. I deeply admire these leaders for the depth and breadth of their mission-driven dedication to people in general, and to our country [...]
Like an electric shock -- that line grabbed me even more than other great ones. After I shared the “Light in My Darkness” Cliff’sNOTE, with my sister Lori, she sent me a note saying it reminded her of Maria Papova’s 20 Ways to Matter. To me, this is another wonderful example of a piece that [...]
by Cliff Kayser, IDG Ambassador, Aconcagua Cohort NOTE: ChatGPT often uses the INCORRECT versions shown below. TIP #1: Use “And” Instead of “VS” It’s easy to fall into the habit of using “VS” between the two poles of a polarity—but this creates confusion because a polarity requires both poles. Using “VS” implies opposition and that [...]