Creative Tension

Ahhhh, creative tension! This is one of my *favorite* concepts in both personal and practice development. Not necessarily because I am an achiever (well, it may be somewhat related—just a wee bit), but because it is part of the human condition. Growth, whether individual or collective, is what stirs within our souls, calling us to step up and into our best selves. And, holding creative tension is what suspends our personal vision in time and space so that we can put actions in place to continally grow (OR collapse on our couch in despair.) 

Hands down, Peter Senge’s book “The Fifth Discipline” was my most venerated companion as a developing dental leader (and still is). I was introduced to it as a part of my Masters Degree Program over 12 years ago and still have it next to me as a faithful reference and guide for practice management. I have two copies, one of which I have lent out many times, and the other is literally falling apart. It is well-worn and highlighted with multiple colors as its wisdoms continue to pop out at me during every read. 

Within it, is this brief little segment in Chapter Eight on Personal Mastery, where Senge shares about the concept of creative tension. Senge shares that people who seek personal mastery are constantly in a mode of expansion, creating and then driving the actions in their life towards their highest potential. Many of us have this desire for progression inside us—whether it be personal or collective growth—that stirs within our soul, calling on us to take a step up into the best version of ourselves. 

“THE GREATER THE TENSION, THE GREATER THE POTENTIAL.” ~CARL JUNG

Best Version of Ourselves

But, there is a catch (isn’t there always!)  How does one initiate movement, gain momentum, and work consistently towards that best version of ourselves? Where to begin? Most of us have a dream or a vision for our lives. We are often told to “reach for the stars” and “dream big.” I am a HUGE dreamer and I have been blessed to have achieved a number of my ‘dreams’, but my bucket list is still quite large so I am in constant motion. Through experience, I have found that it is not enough just to dream big and I do not necessarily believe we should endlessly and haphazardly “chase dreams.” We cannot just keep our head in the clouds. That will result in disillusionment and depression. It is necessary to understand exactly where we are currently to take steps towards our vision. 

Through Senge’s concept of creative tension, I have learned how to achieve goals and stretch into a better version of myself. He teaches that there is a critical aspect that must be constantly assessed. We need to always have clarity about two vital points of reference, considered simultaneously:

           1. Current Reality (Point A)
           2. Vision for the Future (Point B)

Without having clarity around both, we often flounder. The reason is that we don’t really have a grasp on where we are or where we want to go. If the current reality is unknown or unclear, our decision-making process is flawed. So, no matter what we put in place, the current reality drags us down.

Clarity

It is like having our eye on a house we wish to purchase. If we skipped the appraisal and bought the ‘dream house’ and then moved in, we might find that there are some foundational or structural flaws that will cause us financial and time stress. The same thing may apply when we consider a remodel. If we know where we are now, but do not have a blueprint for what we want it to look like, we will waste time, energy, money or even end up in a place we never wanted to go. Getting clear on the current reality is where many visionaries fail. They ignore the red flags or the hazards that will cost them their dream in the long run. Because it takes too long to lift off and gain momentum when the gravity of your current reality has you tied down. So, we first need both and honest appraisal and a clear blueprint. 

STEP BACK, GET AN HONEST APPRAISAL OF YOUR STARTING POINT, AND THEN CREATE THE STRETCH

For some, facing their current reality puts a damper on their dreams. They ignore their reality and hope their dreams miraculously come to fruition. We all love those miracle stories. But, we can’t attach our lives entirely on hope for miracles. I know, for some this is going to turn you off. But, lean in and hear me out. Many times when we hear about a miracle happening, or a “dream come true” story, there was an action that someone took (more often, multiple years of actions) to achieve that miracle. For example, those singers that make it onto the television contest shows and win, appear to be experiencing what we view as a dream come true. And, they are. But, if you listen to their stories about how they made it to where they are now, you will hear a lot of evidences of creative tension. You will also recognize that actions were taken to step into the discomfort of creative tension. Make sense?

We also often have a tendency to bury our dreams when we are let our current reality bombard our emotions. Feelings of hopelessness can drown out our personal and practice vision. Then we do nothing and we get nowhere. It is because we see that there is just too much of a gap between our current reality and our vision. But, here inlies the magic, my friend. The energy that exists between your current reality and your vision is what needs to stir and embolden you to take action. Because your goal, or your dream cannot take flight just with good intentions. It takes action, massive action. Creative tension exists within the gap between your vision and your current reality. And, Senge shares that it seeks “resolution or release.” 

One thought that helps me is to remember that a vision is a direction. You don’t necessarily “arrive” at an end point when you achieve a vision or goal, because there will always be a natural next step. So, I consider what that next step might be in working towards that vision. I know that the direction I am going will lead to achieving the goal, so I create stepping stones along the way. I try to make it more about the process and the direction.

Create the Stretch

Another thought that Senge mentions is that we should not think of the tension as necessarily being stressful, causing fear or anxiety. Think of tension that is placed in a rubber band when you pull it with both fingers. Senge shares that this gap creates energy for action. We need that stretch to lift our reality through taking action towards our vision. If our vision is too much of a stretch based on our reality, then we need to rethink that next step. But, on the flip side, if we do not have enough stretch, we will experience very little growth. We are constantly adjusting the amount of tension to feel that inertia, or energy, from stretching the rubber band to propel it forward. The “creative” part of the process comes from how we “work with our constraints” in a forward-thinking, positive way. 

FIND A POINT WHERE THERE IS CONTINUAL TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO POINTS, BUT NOT TO THE POINT OF DESPAIR, RETREAT, OR BROKENNESS. TOO MUCH TENSION WILL CAUSE SOME TO GIVE UP. THIS REPOSITIONING PREVENTS BREAKAGE OF THE INTERCONNECTION THAT EXISTS WHILE MAINTAINING A STRETCH. 

And often, this comes back to our perception. For example, when leading a team towards a practice goal, whether it be a large vision, or a change process, we always need to keep in mind that some of your team members may not necessarily have a full understanding of the big picture or they may have a false view of the current reality. This may lead to sensing that the goal is beyond what is achieveable. It is vital that we have a clear picture as a team about where we are and where we want to go. If the goal is perceived to be too high, there will be discouragement and disengagement. If we stretch too far, there can be a wear on the ties between the current reality and the goal, thus causing a fray or even breakage. Transparency and authentic communication is critical to achieve growth. If either point, the reality or the vision, are inaccurate or unclear, then creative tension cannot exist. 

Creative tension is also a concept that we can use as dental practitioners with our patients. Diagnostically, we need to get clear on where our patient stands and then communicate the goal. But, it should not be our goal for the patient. In order to allow our patients to work towards their oral health, the goals should be driven by what they desire. Far too often, we overwhelm patients with our goals and patients will “check out” and resist moving towards their potential because the bar is just too high. If we tell them it is going to take a “Hail Mary Pass” to get them back to health, most will walk away in despair. I always revert back to the energy that stretching towards something achievable provides. It is often the small wins that then allow us to gain the trust that is needed for them to make their way towards their oral health goalline.

This same mindset is important for us as dental professionals working towards what our personal best looks like. Having clarity around what is current reality while stretching towards what we see as achievable will eventually get us closer to our overall vision. Which area do you need to work on? Is it learning how to look at your current reality? This is a great place to begin if you have not taken a good look “under the hood” lately. Are you being truthful with yourself on where you stand in relation to where you are going? What goal should you create tension with in regards to your current reality? Is your current goal too high creating fear or disengagement? If your goal is to learn more about leadership concepts, such as creative tension, follow DDSLeadership! I will help you maintain the energy you need to stretch!

Senge, Peter M. (1990). The fifth discipline : the art and practice of the learning organization. New York :Doubleday/Currency