I fell in love with the title of this passage, and then the reality of the lesson hit: the concept of creative tension in relation to emotional tension is more practical work than mystical magic.
I've heard the phrase "mind the gap" before, and didn't know what it meant until I realized it can be used to explain creative tension, the gap between vision and reality. It's your goals, your hopes for the future set in contrast to what you're dealing with today. It may be the dream of graduation while struggling in a class. For me, the goal of passing my gold moves test while not being able to skate on a regular basis. Emotional tension is worry, fear, anger and sadness, which are all normal, healthy emotions that must be managed before it interferes with your ability to do the things you want or need to do.
The real artistry of leadership comes not from creative tension alone, but from understanding and working with its inevitable companion, emotional tension. (Senge, p. 295) Senge further explains that negativity and fighting may be powerful tools to motivate people towards change, but once a threat goes away, so does motivation. Similarly, demonizing other creates tension, but does not create a sense of responsibility towards a solution. All you get is "us vs. them." Between masks, vaccines, gun control, politics and more, we've had quite enough of that. The phrase that struck me the most was that profound learning processes are driven by aspiration, not desperation. (p. 294)
What did I gather from the readings to strike a balance between creative and emotional tension?
- Face reality which means tell the truth to yourself
- Allow focus to return
- Manage your visions
- Emphasize opportunity
For a real life example, I will go back to my creative goal, which is to pass my gold moves test. My reality is a lack of training time and coaching. My emotional tension is fear that my skills are deteriorating. Sadness that I have faced numerous setbacks in achieving this goal - cancer, illness, scheduling conflicts. Anger that is seems so much easier for other skaters, why do I struggle so much with skills on my left side? So I need to focus on how to resolve this. Readjusting the calendar from April to November, when I know I will have more time to train in the future. Finding a coach who is willing to work with me in spaces where we can both be present. Managing my time wisely when I am at the rink. Focus on what needs to be done to accomplish what I want. Commit to the goal, capitalize on the momentum I am creating, and set a realistic, attainable goal.
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