Polarity as a Way of Life by Dr Gemma Jiang.

Description: Navigating life and leadership with polarity wisdom means recognizing the dynamic tension between seemingly opposing yet interdependent and complementary forces — and learning to embrace both/and thinking. This sounds simple, but in practice, it challenges many of our deeply held assumptions and habitual reactions.

Last week’s DD session introduced the Polarity Navigator, a powerful tool for examining behaviors, surfacing assumptions and expanding identities. This week, we go deeper.

Polarity wisdom reveals itself not only in structured tools but in everyday experience. These interwoven opposites show up in every challenge we face — from the mundane to the existential. When we treat polarities as problems to solve rather than tensions to manage, we fall into either/or thinking and miss the generative power of both/and. Understanding these underlying patterns allows us to move through complexity with greater ease, clarity, and grace. Polarity is a way of seeing and being in the world.

In this session, Gemma will share three grounded and practical applications of polarity wisdom — demonstrating how simple yet enduring patterns can help illuminate the path forward.

You’ll walk away with insights into:
Creating balance both moment-to-moment and across longer-term patterns
Reducing resistance by “leading with the right pole for the role”
Transforming challenging dynamics into opportunities for growth and thriving
Read more in Gemma’s recent post: Simplicity That Holds Complexity.

Alexis Niki is a Narrative Leadership Coach and Strategic Storyteller. She founded StoryNova to develop innovative approaches to unlocking new insights and creative capabilities based on narrative intelligence. No matter who she works with, Alexis always focuses on the same thing: helping clients become more intentional about the stories they enact in the world. She's based in Paris, France.