Managing Polarities in Congregations: Eight Keys for Thriving Faith Communities (Book)
Roy M. Oswald, Barry Johnson, Authors.  Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2009.

This book discusses the "polarity," which the authors define as a pair of interdependent yet seemingly oppositional truths. Roy Oswald and Barry Johnson argue that when a conflict occurs around a polarity, "both sides will be right, and they will need each other to experience the whole truth."

The authors devote individual chapters to each of the following polarities, many of which occur regularly in congregations: (1) staying rooted in the faith's heritage while fostering creativity in faith life; (2) nurturing mission while maintaining a healthy institution; (3) creating a stable congregation but one that is able to embrace change; (4) supporting clergy leadership while encouraging lay participation; (5) responding to members' needs while simultaneously caring for others; (6) manifesting God's unconditional love while challenging people to grow and to serve; (7) making it easy to become a member while ensuring that membership has meaning; and (8) helping members fulfill their callings while ensuring that all tasks of congregational life and ministry are accomplished.

Through stories and illustrations, readers are shown the positive and negative aspects of each pole, how to recognize when imbalance is occurring between them, and how to address and correct the imbalance.

For congregations not currently experiencing conflict, this book would be a good prevention tool. For those in the midst of conflict around a polarity, it would help people recognize the legitimacy of both sides and create a more cooperative platform for the ongoing dialogue and activity around the issue.

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See also these resources:

Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems (Book)
Barry Johnson, Author.  Amherst, MA: Human Resource Development Press, 1997.
Leaders will find in this book an essential skill (including relevant case studies and applications) in problem solving fine-tuned by recognizing problems that are dynamic polarities.

Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence (Book)
Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, Annie McKee, Authors.  Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 2002.
Primal Leadership provides excellent illustrations for building individual, team, and organizational emotional intelligence, enabling congregational leaders to apply its many insights to their own individual and group development.