When structure becomes a cage – and freedom spirals into chaos
It starts in that meeting. I’m sitting there, and I can feel it in my body. We’re talking about planning, processes, and governance, but everything is moving so slowly. Decisions aren’t being made. Initiatives are shut down before they even start. I want to pick up the pace, make things happen. But every step must be approved, documented, and aligned. Everything feels heavy and slow. And eventually, I’ve had enough.
So I push back. I start longing to break free from the structure. Let go of control. Just go for it. Skip the steps. Create momentum through improvisation, as long as we get something done. And at first, it feels great. Light. Liberating.
But then a different kind of problem shows up.
Misunderstandings. Redundancy. Lack of accountability. People are pulling in different directions. No one really knows what was decided or why. The pressure increases, and there’s no structure to lean on. I’ve simply traded one dead end for another.
And that’s when I see it:
It’s not the fault of structure.
And it’s not freedom’s fault either.
What’s missing is harmony.
What I want to share in this article is a better reaction in those moments. When we swing between extremes – control or chaos, process or improvisation – trying to solve frustration with its opposite.
The real work begins when we stay with the tension. When we stop picking sides – and instead learn to navigate the pull in both directions.
Because what we try to leave behind – structure, planning, clarity – has value. But only when it plays together with what we long for – movement, initiative, direction.
So what is a polarity, really?
It’s not about saying both sides are equally important in every situation. It’s about recognizing that both sides have potential value – and that their relevance depends on the context.
It also doesn’t mean avoiding hard decisions or watering things down. Working with polarities isn’t about avoiding commitment. It’s about making choices with a better understanding of what we’re saying no to – and why.
Sometimes we do need to pick a side. But when we do, we do it consciously, not out of habit. That’s part of the practical craft of polarity navigation, which we’ll get to shortly.
In certain contexts – like search and rescue, safety-critical environments, or crisis management – control, clarity and decisiveness are essential. In others – like innovation, learning, or culture-building – trust and self-organization are key.
The ability to discern which side is needed when is what makes this mindset useful. It’s not about always balancing, but about shifting consciously and with good judgment.
A polarity is a tension between two values that are both important over time. It’s not a problem to solve or a conflict to win. It’s a recurring dynamic that needs to be consciously managed.
Think of breathing. Inhaling and exhaling are opposing actions, but both are necessary. Choosing only one would be unsustainable.
Organizations are the same. Here are a few examples of polarities we often encounter:
| Polarity (two sides of the same coin) | If you get stuck on one side… |
|---|---|
| Structure ⇄ Adaptability | …you become either rigid or chaotic |
| Control ⇄ Trust | …you land in micromanagement or neglect |
| Coordination ⇄ Self-organization | …you stifle initiative or lose alignment |
As humans, we often try to resolve tension by picking a side. But that usually causes us to swing between extremes, instead of building rhythms and conscious adjustments.
So how do you actually manage a polarity? (Polarity Management)
A powerful approach is the Polarity Management model, built on four core principles:
Name the polarity – Acknowledge both sides and that each has value.
Explore both poles – What are the strengths of each? What are the risks of over-relying on one?
Identify early warning signs – How do we know when we’ve gotten stuck?
Create rhythm and direction – What conscious shift will help us rebalance?
Navigating a polarity isn’t about compromising – it’s about respecting both sides and moving rhythmically between them.
Six practical ways to work with polarities in everyday organizational life
1. Accept that polarities are not problems to solve
It’s tempting to want to “pick a side” when tension shows up: centralization vs. decentralization, predictability vs. flexibility, control vs. trust. But some tensions aren’t meant to be solved – they need to be managed over time. This is a different kind of skill than problem-solving.
2. Make the polarity visible together
Use simple tools to map polarities with teams or leadership groups. For example:
What are the strengths of “structure” in our work?
What are the downsides if we overdo it?
What’s the value of “learning and adaptability”?
What do we lose if we neglect that side?
Mapping the polarity together increases awareness and ownership. It creates a shared language for addressing complexity.
3. Follow heat and friction in conversations
Polarities live in our conversations. Wherever there is high energy (“we need more of this!”) or strong frustration (“this isn’t working anymore!”), there’s often an underlying polarity. As a leader, coach or colleague, train yourself to listen for both sides, especially when the group leans too far one way.
4. Work with rhythm, not balance
Navigating a polarity isn’t about finding “the perfect balance” once and for all. It’s about adjusting the rhythm based on what’s needed now. Sometimes more structure, sometimes more freedom. The key is to do it consciously and honestly, not reactively or cosmetically.
5. Create methods for collective self-insight
Organizations aren’t just made of people – they’re made of communication. How we talk about our reality shapes it. That’s why we need formats where the organization can see itself. That might be retrospectives, feedback loops, sensemaking sessions, or narrative dialogues. What matters is that the conversation helps the organization see its own polarities and begin to talk about them.
6. Navigate from what is real, not what is “right”
In uncertain and complex contexts, it’s often more important to take the next wise step than to find the final right answer. When you see the polarity clearly, you can start asking: what’s most meaningful to adjust right now? What do we get more of if we lean slightly the other way for a while?
Conclusion
Working with polarities is an organizational craft. It requires courage, curiosity, and a different kind of sensitivity than what we use when solving well-defined problems. But this is also where real leadership lives – not in knowing what is right, but in holding tensions long enough for the organization to make wiser decisions over time.
