Methods: Not a new concept, polarities have been described by Taoism some 2500 years ago in the frame of Yin and Yang. Dr. Barry Johnson, recognized that these polarities were still not well understood, recognized or managed effectively in our modern age (Johnson, 1996; Wesorick, 2014). Many professions and industries, including health care experience and struggle with polarities or unsolvable problems. Whether the issue is that the polarity has not been identified, leadership is lacking in tools and methods to address the issues, or team members are disengaged or disenfranchised, left unmanaged, a polarity quickly becomes a wicked problem.
Results: Interprofessional teams may experience even greater barriers given lack of understanding of scope of practice, differing values or differing interests. One common polarity among interprofessional healthcare teams is that of individual competency and team competency (Wesorick, 2014). For best outcomes, both are needed to be embraced, integrated and effective. Polarity thinking and management practices and tools are being effectively used in various practices. Religious organizations, health systems, educational organizations, and business teams have all applied the concepts of polarities to manage polarities, reconcile differences, and become more effective in their respective industries.
Conclusion: Polarities are often considered wicked problems, paradoxes, or tensions. Left unrecognized, unattended or unmanaged, these problems will continue to reoccur and plague industries like health care. The use of tools, like a polarity map, can help leaders and teams effectively manage polarities, improve practice and patient or organizational outcomes.