When it comes to the winning side of business, having a competitive advantage is key. Competitive advantage can be summed up as a framework for strategic thinking about how to beat rivals. Furthermore, competitive advantage is performing activities in unique ways that create greater value Porter, Maintaining a status quo is a relatively low-risk way to operate in the short-term, but is not business-sustainable in the long run.
Competitors seek new opportunities and methods in order to get ahead while those resistant to change begin to struggle. Research since shows that the winners and losers of the World Series have, on average, ranked in the 10th and 15th places of the 30 teams in overall team payrolls Baseball Payrolls, This data implies that no longer does money equal championships, because Epstein won championships and spent less money.
Generating a quality team that performs with above average metrics resulted in a greater chance for success.
Since , Epstein was a direct influence on three championships because of the various methodologies he applied. Epstein depended on quantitative data, but he realized that statistics and empirical evidence have limitations because there are significant human factors involved. Baseball is played by people, and is not just a bunch of statistics. While quantitative methods examine a problem by way of generating numerical data or information that can be transformed into useable statistics, qualitative methods are used in concert to gain an understanding of underlying reasoning, opinions, and motivations.
In addition to extensive quantitative analysis, Epstein employed qualitative analytical methods as a precursor for evaluating new hires. Epstein directed the Chicago Cubs organization to perform background checks on potential players to discover their personality traits both on and off the field. By assessing the character of each player, the team predicted to the best of their ability, how new players would perform based on past behavior and performance.
In addition, Epstein put a lot of effort into managing his players to build long-term relationships with them - and he put the right player in a right position. This created a vibrant advantage resulting in wins. Ultimately, Epstein and his team achieved a number of World Series championships - by thinking and acting differently. Sports competitions demands are similar to business and sometimes result in a contradiction.
Paradoxical thinking is a method used to balance demands to achieve the best solution from a range of choices, not just if x, then y, as suggested by traditional linear thinking. They use logic, but they go beyond it. Their creative mind moves at a level high above simplistic black-and-white, either-or reasoning.
They are never limited by existing facts and conventional categories. They are not constrained by the dicta that govern so much of everyday discourse. They move out to the further ranges of human intelligence. Most of the cognitive skills come naturally, but at least one, paradoxical thinking, must be learned.
Or the possibility exists that the mind must be deframed and reframed to facilitate innovation and breakthrough. Paradoxical Thinking Can Be Learned Challenging conventional ways of thinking is not a natural cognitive ability for most people. In Paradoxical Thinking and Change in the Frame of Reference, Ann Westenholz claims that learning is often used to characterize a process by which individuals or organizations become wiser, adapting their frames of reference to their experiences.
Instead, Westenholz prefers to consider the notion of deframing and reframing. Deframing describes a situation in which previous frames of reference are no longer experienced as creating meaning, and hence, become futile. Reframing describes the situation in which the individual creates a new reference, which can be used to infuse situations with meaning Westenholz, Once a challenge is accepted, it opens the individual to consider differing or unconventional approaches and the interrelated connections between the competing factors Westenholz, In a less esoteric observation, not only can paradoxical thinking be learned; in most cases, it must be learned.
According to Westenholz , paradoxical thinking is divergent, rather than convergent. They possess the aptitude of paradoxical thinking which makes them act in a paradoxical way - or rather in a way that appears to be paradoxical to those who do not possess this ability.
Such organizations encounter problems when implementing the paradoxical thinking framework. The basics of paradoxical thinking imply considering irrational aspects. As well so that innovation is encouraged throughout the organization. It has found that the paradoxical thinking is one of the eight skills that are related to the intelligence framework. The eight skills that are linked to the intelligence are judgment, perception, reason, intuition, imagination, logic, memory and paradox.
Among all the skills mention, the least commonly use one is the paradoxical thinking. Because people are reluctant to get involved in illogical thinking. The traditional specialists still show resistance to apply the concept of paradoxical thinking within the business environment. Because they feel that it is not appropriate for a business to get involved in such irrational activities. However, the trend is now shifting to the paradox paradigm. The reason that paradoxical thinking is link to intelligence is that it allows.
The people to apply their thinking skills to modify the idea into something feasible that will be appealing for the end-consumers. IBM has ensured that it allows its employees to give any kinds of practical suggestions to the company that can help it in increasing its proficiency. Eliminate the drawbacks that are prevalent within the firm. USA Today was the first one to introduce the concept of Online newspaper.
So, customers can read the paper on the Internet. When the owner wanted to launch this idea, majority of the people felt that it will have to encounter problems.
People prefer to enhance their knowledge about the latest happenings through paper newspapers. However, the paper is considered to the top-selling newspaper in the region that has successfully met the needs of the customers especially. Who is looking for previous issues to get access to a particular article or piece of information?
Yes, as long as one is open to change and committed to learning new ways of thinking. Yet the act of trying to reconcile these tensions helps leaders keep their eyes on all their spinning plates and identify when interventions are needed to keep the organization lined up with its top priorities Price, Acceptance involves viewing both sides of competing demands as simultaneously possible, even if they are inherently in conflict.
Paradoxical thinking as a skill related to intelligence. Why is it least used? Paradoxical thinking breaks norms and pushes the limits of complex reasoning and logic. Being able to integrate opposing lines of reasoning to synthesize one common result is a high art. Paradoxical thinking is counter-intuitive and results of this thinking bring change. Barriers to change include fear of mistakes or failure, intolerance of ambiguity, judging or being judged.
How management and leadership can utilize paradoxical thinking to improve the organization Once management has determined how to apply paradoxical thinking, a shared vision needs to be created and conveyed to the organization to give employees a path to follow to reach collective goals. Once individuals grasp a common picture of a desired future everyone can move towards that improved future-state in unison.
Shared vision is vital for learning organizations because it provides the focus and energy for learning. Within the Competitive Values Framework, management can take the opportunity to improve the organization by motivating employees, engaging them in new activities to improve performance and reward them for contributions to change. Paradoxical thinking can literally re-invent the organization to compete in the modern economy.
Leadership must cope with the paradoxical relationship between stability and change to improve the organizations. From an analytical perspective four different modes to cope with the paradoxical relationship between stability and change can be found to 1 accept the paradox, keep stability and change separate and use the paradox constructively, 2 separate the poles of the paradox to different locations or levels, 3 temporally separate stability and change, and 4 advance new conceptions through introducing new concepts or a new perspective.
Compared with traditional modes, the paradox of stability and change may intertwine and instead of negating and displacing one another, they can mutually reinforce each other in a process of renewal Steinkellner, P. Using paradoxical thinking one can taking two seemingly inconsistent or contradictory concepts then harnessing the opposing forces to possibly exceed organizational goals. Placing paradoxical thinking into the Competing Values Framework gives organizations the opportunity to explore new alternatives and innovate.
Innovation is the key to growth in the business environment. References Belasen, A. Retrieved from. Fletcher, J. Paradoxical Thinking. San Francisco: Berrett - Koehler. Gertner, J. Retrieved August. Ramirez, A. Ravi, K. Paradoxical thinking. Retrieved August 23, , from:.
Reinhardt, A.
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