I’ve recently consolidated my series of posts on the book Both/And Thinking by Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis into a single, unified collection. Previously, these were scattered as individual blog entries, but I believe they are more valuable and coherent when presented together. You can now find all of my notes and reflections in the Both/And Thinking Collection.
This book offers a powerful framework for navigating the complex and often contradictory challenges of modern life and work. Instead of seeing choices as either/or decisions, the authors encourage a “both/and” mindset that allows for holding two opposing ideas at the same time. This approach is particularly useful for tackling persistent and recurring dilemmas.
My notes on the book cover several key areas:
- The Four Core Paradoxes: I explore the main types of paradoxes that the authors identify: learning, organizing, belonging, and performing. Understanding these helps in recognizing the tensions we all face.
- Vicious Cycles: The book discusses how either/or thinking can trap us in downward spirals. My notes touch on how to identify and break out of these vicious cycles.
- The Paradox System: A significant portion of my notes is dedicated to the practical system the authors propose for applying both/and thinking. This includes tools and mental models for managing paradoxes effectively over the long term.
By moving these posts into a collection, I hope to provide a more structured and accessible resource for anyone interested in the ideas from this book. The collection format should make it easier to follow the progression of concepts as they are presented in the book.
I found the concepts in Both/And Thinking to be a valuable mental model, much like my experience with The Goal. It provides a language and a process for dealing with the inherent messiness of decision-making. If you find yourself wrestling with competing demands and seemingly intractable problems, I highly recommend exploring the collection.
