Tension Mapping

Purpose

Tension Mapping, developed by Barry Johnson, helps groups distinguish between problems to solve (with a right answer) and polarities to manage (ongoing tensions with no permanent solution). Many organizational struggles — centralization vs. decentralization, short-term vs. long-term, task vs. relationship — are not problems with solutions but polarities that must be leveraged. The method maps both poles, their upsides and downsides, and designs action steps and warning signs for each.

At a glance

How to run

1. Identify the polarity (5 min). Name the two poles (e.g., "Stability" and "Change"). Check: is this truly a polarity (both poles are needed, neither is the answer) or a problem to solve?
2. Map the upsides (10 min). For each pole, brainstorm: What are the benefits when we focus on this pole? Write in the upper quadrants of the tension map.
3. Map the downsides (10 min). For each pole, brainstorm: What are the costs of over-focusing on this pole? Write in the lower quadrants.
4. Identify the current state (5 min). Where is the organization now? Are we stuck in the downside of one pole? Is there a pattern of oscillating between poles?
5. Design action steps (10 min). For each pole, identify actions that capture the upside. These are not "choose one" — they are "how do we get the best of both?"
6. Set early warning signs (5 min). For each downside, identify measurable signals that the organization is over-rotating toward one pole. These trigger corrective action.

Materials needed

• Tension map template (2x2 grid: upper = upsides, lower = downsides, left/right = poles)
• Sticky notes and markers
• Whiteboard or flip chart

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Treating a polarity as a problem. If the group picks one pole as "the answer," they will eventually suffer the downside. Test: can both poles be true simultaneously?
• Mapping only one pole favorably. Both poles have genuine upsides. If one seems entirely negative, the group has a bias.
• No early warning system. Without warning signs, organizations oscillate between poles in costly cycles.
• Using it for everything. Not every tension is a polarity — some things really do have a right answer.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Tension mapping helps depolarize debates by validating both sides.
• Include diverse perspectives when mapping — different roles experience the poles differently.
• Use visual mapping so the full picture is visible to all.
• Provide the tension map template in advance for participants who need preparation.

Variations

• Polarity assessment: Survey the organization on which pole they experience as dominant, then use the data to inform the map.
• Nested polarities: Map interconnected polarities to see how they influence each other.
• Personal polarity: Apply to individual leadership style tensions.

When NOT to use this

• When there is a clear right answer and framing it as a polarity would create false equivalence.
• When the group is not ready to accept that both poles have value.
• When speed is needed — tension mapping is a thinking tool, not a decision tool.

Source & further reading

• Johnson, B. (1992). *Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems*. HRD Press.
• Johnson, B. (2020). *AND: Making a Difference by Leveraging Polarity, Paradox, or Dilemma*. HRD Press.
• Polarity Partnerships. https://www.polaritypartnerships.com