In his book, The Age of Paradox, Charles Handy, a leading expert on change, states that managing change is about living with paradoxes. A paradox is a contradiction. For example, as humans, we want life to be easy, and yet, we are unfulfilled when life is easy. We actually gain more character, more stamina, and ultimately, more happiness, when we are challenged. According to Handy, “The more turbulent the times, the more complex the world, the more paradoxes there are.”

Living with paradoxes requires us to do something that we are not comfortable doing. It requires us to accept life as a series of paradoxes, with no right answers and no right ways to do things. This can be very unsettling in a world that seems in need of a right answer. Paradoxes are not about right answers; they are about choosing solution pathways that create sustainable and generative futures.

The key is to find the best solution pathway, and that is where action learning and a systemic approach are at their best. MHA has proven that action learning and a systemic approach are effective techniques for living with paradoxes, and creating sustainable and generative change.

The Leadership Through Learning (LTL) Program develops leaders who learn at the speed of change and thrive in paradox. The LTL Program is designed using two key processes: action learning and a systemic approach. Action learning is about learning as you go by solving real problems in real time. Learning as you go is based on an experimental frame and is emergent in nature, lowering risk, and maximizing results. It is fundamental to building resilience in any system. A systemic approach is about approaching the future as a blank slate full of multiple possibilities, opening yourself to the possibility of creating something truly novel, sustainable and generative.