Conscious Leadership Conversations

W. Cliff Kayser, Chief Learning Officer at Polarity Partnerships, is our May CLC provocateur!

This session will help Conscious Leaders improve their skills in recognizing and managing organizational polarities with real-world examples. Business and leadership literature often highlight the unique challenges and opportunities of “polarities” or interdependent pairs (aka paradoxes and dilemmas) in organizations. We will explore how to apply the power of polarity thinking and a “Both/And” approach to these challenges, avoiding the resistance, division, and unsustainable results from an “Either/Or” mindset.

Cliff works worldwide as a thought leader, organization development practitioner, executive leadership coach, and keynote speaker. Since 2006 he has worked with Barry Johnson and Polarity Partnerships to pursue their mission to: “Enhance the quality of life on the planet by supplementing either/or thinking with both/and thinking.” Since 2014, he has served as an
adjunct faculty for American University’s “KEY Executive” Leadership Program, George Mason University’s “Leadership Coaching for Organizational Well-Being” Accredited Coach Training Program, and Dean of Polarity Partnerships’ 2-year Mastery Program.
Prior to joining Polarity Partnerships, Cliff founded Xperience, LLC – an integrated solutions coaching/consulting firm that includes “Kayser Ridge” a retreat and learning Center he established atop 40-acres of mountain land in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, 2-hours from his home in Washington, D.C.
Prior to his work as an independent consultant/coach, Cliff was VP of Organizational Development for The National Cooperative Bank, Senior Organization Development Consultant at The Washington Post, and head of Human Resources and Training in the corporate offices of The Washington Post Company.
Cliff earned Master’s Degrees in Organizational Development (2007) and Human Resources Management (1998) from American University and completed his Certification in Executive Leadership Coaching from Georgetown University (2008). He holds a PCC (Professional Certified Coach) designation from the International Coaching Federation.
In 2019, Cliff was honored to receive the GestaltOSD Center’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Off work you’ll find Cliff practicing Tai Chi, saddled on a mountain or dirt bike at Kayser Ridge, or checking-off another exotic travel adventure from the list.