--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The ability to face constructively the…" description: "\"The ability to face constructively the tension of opposing ideas and instead of choosing one at the expense of the other, generate a creative resolutio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3a/roger-martin-35362_ability_the-ability-to-face-constructively-the-t_3233619.png" --- # The ability to face constructively the tension of opposing… ![“The ability to face constructively the tension of opposing ideas and instead of choosing one at the expense of the other, generate a creative resolution of the tension in the form of a new idea that contains elements of the opposing ideas but is superior to each.” quote by Roger Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3a/roger-martin-35362_ability_the-ability-to-face-constructively-the-t_3233619.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3a/roger-martin-35362_ability_the-ability-to-face-constructively-the-t_3233619.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3a/roger-martin-35362_ability_the-ability-to-face-constructively-the-t_3233619.png) > “The ability to face constructively the tension of opposing ideas and instead of choosing one at the expense of the other, generate a creative resolution of the tension in the form of a new idea that contains elements of the opposing ideas but is superior to each.” [Roger Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Integrating opposing ideas can produce a superior solution that blends strengths of both, fostering innovation through tension. **In simple terms:** Combining opposite ideas can create a better, new solution. Key Takeaway Seek to merge conflicting views into a novel answer. Themes innovation conflict resolution creativity strategy Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical strategic When to use this quote - team brainstorming - product development - policy making Key Concepts dialectical thinking synthesis design thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can you apply this synthesis in your work? - What tensions could you transform into opportunities? A Different Perspective Merging ideas may dilute clarity if not well‑balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Choosing one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choosing-one-31736/) [Constructively Tension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constructively-tension-6127180/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative Resolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-resolution-6127182/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Expenses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expenses/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [New ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-ideas/) [Opposing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposing/) [Opposing ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposing-ideas-136865/) [Resolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resolution/) [Resolution Tension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resolution-tension-6127181/) [Superiors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superiors/) [Tension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tension/) [Tension Opposing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tension-opposing-6127183/) ## Related quotes > [All the elements of good writing depend on the writer's skill in choosing one word instead of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-prose/all-the-elements-of-good-writing-depend-on-the-writer-s-skill-in/) [Francine Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-prose/) > [Every page was once a blank page, just as every word that appears on it now was not always there, but instead reflects the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-prose/every-page-was-once-a-blank-page-just-as-every-word-that-appears-on/) [Francine Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-prose/) > [Choosing one path means abandoning others - if you try to follow every possible path you will end up following none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/choosing-one-path-means-abandoning-others-if-you-try-to-follow-every/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [One can choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/one-can-choose-one-s-attitude-in-any-given-set-of-circumstances/) [Viktor E. 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What seems like a struggle between two opposing ideas or values, one of which, automatic and unconscious, manifests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/reason-and-emotion-are-not-antagonists-what-seems-like-a-struggle/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Far too many people believe that they are owed some kind of 'safe space' from opposing ideas, and the fact is, that just isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-timpf/far-too-many-people-believe-that-they-are-owed-some-kind-of-safe/) [Kat Timpf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-timpf/) > [If you believe in democracy, you accept, by definition, the existence and triumph of opposing ideas. The people who believe deeply in the Internet's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-melber/if-you-believe-in-democracy-you-accept-by-definition-the-existence/) [Ari Melber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-melber/) > [“The drive to tune out opposing ideas can be explained by psychology's principles of selective exposure theory and confirmation bias, both being impulses people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/the-drive-to-tune-out-opposing-ideas-can-be-explained-by-psychology-s/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [“If your mind is open to opposing ideas, your intelligence will go up. If”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-t-kiyosaki/if-your-mind-is-open-to-opposing-ideas-your-intelligence-will-go-up-if/) [Robert T. Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-t-kiyosaki/) > [One of the most horrifying and surprising evolutions we have witnessed among our widespread campus network is the rapid movement away from tolerating opposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kirk/one-of-the-most-horrifying-and-surprising-evolutions-we-have/) [Charlie Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kirk/) ## More by Roger Martin > [The virtue of small-to-midsize companies is that they tend to be more flexible and it is easier to experiment with new ways of working.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/the-virtue-of-small-to-midsize-companies-is-that-they-tend-to-be-more/) [Roger Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/) > [The fundamental purpose of design thinking is to produce something that does not now exist. And so it is with integrative thinking - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/the-fundamental-purpose-of-design-thinking-is-to-produce-something/) [Roger Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/) > [The status quo is more tenacious than anyone would ever imagine. The human mind prefers continuity rather than change. So it really has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/the-status-quo-is-more-tenacious-than-anyone-would-ever-imagine-the/) [Roger Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/) > [I was blown away when I figured out that none of the great integrative moves that I studied came as a result of starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/i-was-blown-away-when-i-figured-out-that-none-of-the-great/) [Roger Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/) > [Business people don't need to understand designers better. They need to be designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/business-people-don-t-need-to-understand-designers-better-they-need/) [Roger Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/) > [In order to have a hope of creating better answers, we need to deeply understand the logic of the opposing answers. That means thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/in-order-to-have-a-hope-of-creating-better-answers-we-need-to-deeply/) [Roger Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/) > [Design isn't just about making things beautiful; it's also about making things work beautifully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/design-isn-t-just-about-making-things-beautiful-it-s-also-about/) [Roger Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/) > [I love that Toronto is demonstrating that a big, highly diverse, multicultural city can actually work and work well, if its residents have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/i-love-that-toronto-is-demonstrating-that-a-big-highly-diverse/) [Roger Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/) > [Typically to get toward a productive outcome in negotiation you have to make the initial move of genuinely exploring someone's model. If you don't,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/typically-to-get-toward-a-productive-outcome-in-negotiation-you-have/) [Roger Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/) > [When it comes to innovation, business has much to learn from design. The philosophy in design shops is, 'try it, prototype it, and improve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/when-it-comes-to-innovation-business-has-much-to-learn-from-design/) [Roger Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/) > [The two most fundamental strategic choices are deciding where to play and how to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/the-two-most-fundamental-strategic-choices-are-deciding-where-to-play/) [Roger Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/) > [You need to be uncomfortable and apprehensive: True strategy is about placing bets and making hard choices. The objective is not to eliminate risk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/you-need-to-be-uncomfortable-and-apprehensive-true-strategy-is-about/) [Roger Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/) [Explore all 13 Roger Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The ability to face constructively the tension of opposing ideas and instead of choosing one at the expense of the other, generate a creative resolution of the tension in the form of a new idea that contains elements of the opposing ideas but is superior to each.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roger Martin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/the-ability-to-face-constructively-the-tension-of-opposing-ideas-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/the-ability-to-face-constructively-the-tension-of-opposing-ideas-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3a/roger-martin-35362_ability_the-ability-to-face-constructively-the-t_3233619.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3a/roger-martin-35362_ability_the-ability-to-face-constructively-the-t_3233619.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3a/roger-martin-35362_ability_the-ability-to-face-constructively-the-t_3233619.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The ability to face constructively the tension of opposing ideas and instead of choosing one at the expense…” — Roger Martin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Roger Martin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-martin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The ability to face constructively the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/the-ability-to-face-constructively-the-tension-of-opposing-ideas-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-martin/the-ability-to-face-constructively-the-tension-of-opposing-ideas-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```