Chapter Supplement
Alternating Solution to the Paradox of Freedom and Discipline
Below are references for the examples of the alternating solution to the paradox of the simultaneous freedom and discipline of creative and innovative people. This paradox was introduced in chapter 2 under the heading: Levels and the Paradox of Freedom and Discipline along with Figure 2.2.
In that section, these alternating solutions were contrasted with a solution based on the emergent mechanism: Innovations and new ideas emerge at high levels from the disciplined interactions at low levels as shown in Figure 2.3.
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References for the alternating solution to the paradox of the simultaneous freedom and discipline
Henry Mintzberg, Tracking Strategies: Toward a General Theory (Oxford University Press on Demand, 2007).
Mintzberg’s Figure 12.3 (p.362) contrasts creative imaginative insights (art) with experiential learning (craft) and analysis rooted in systematic evidence (science), and also contrasts rationality and creativity.
Mike Freedman, Benjamin Tregoe, and Ryan Chris, The Art and Discipline of Strategic Leadership (McGraw-Hill Education, 2003).
“Despite our focus on creativity, we do not preclude the requirement for other types of thinking such as those that are more rational and analytical.” (p.3)
Mats Lindgren and Hans Bandhold, Scenario Planning: The Link between Future and Strategy, 2nd ed. (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009).
“…divergent (…creative) and convergent (analytical) thinking;” (p.45)
Paul K Davis, Steven C Bankes, and Michael Egner, Enhancing Strategic Planning with Massive Scenario Generation: Theory and Experiments, vol. 392 (Rand Corporation, 2007).
“[Some strategic] functions require focus, detail, consistency, and convergent analysis. Others require creativity and divergent thinking;” (p.1)
Christie Aschwanden, “Review: ‘Wired to Create’ Shows the Science of a Messy Process,” The New York Times, December 21, 2017, sec. Science, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/09/science/book-review-wired-to-create-scotty-barry-kaufman-carolyn-gregoire.html.
“It is both deliberate and uncontrollable, mindful and mindless, work and play…;”
Kees Van der Heijden, Scenarios: The Art of the Strategic Conversation, 2nd ed. (John Wiley & Sons, 2005).
Van der Heijden separates rationalist, evolutionary and processual methods. (Preface)
Richard M Meinhart, “Leadership and Strategic Thinking,” Strategic Thinking, 2009, 36–37. referenced in, Bartholomees, A Survey of the Theory of Strategy, in J Boone Bartholomees Jr, “The US Army War College Guide to National Security Issues. Volume 1: Theory of War and Strategy” (Carlisle, PA: U.S. Army War College, 2010), https://publications.armywarcollege.edu/pubs/2182.pdf. p.61.
Meinhart’s Figure 5., presents a five-sided figure with creative thinking, systems thinking, critical thinking, ethical thinking, and thinking in time at its points.