Beyond Yes And - Navigating Polarities for Government Innovation

Government leaders operate in environments defined by complexity, constraint, and competing demands. Simple either/or decisions rarely reflect the realities of public service. In this minds-on, participatory workshop, you’ll explore how to move beyond binary thinking and learn to work productively with enduring tensions, such as stability and change, speed and inclusion, or accountability and innovation.

Led by Kyle Patterson, Director of Organizational Effectiveness for Boise, ID, and Michael Baskin, Chief Innovation Officer for Montgomery County, MD, the session introduces practical polarity-management tools they use with their own organizations. You’ll practice applying these frameworks to real challenges, gaining approaches that support transformation while preserving trust, mission, and long-term effectiveness.

Session hosted in collaboration with GovernmentxPeople