Making strategic tension work!

Here is an interesting and useful article discussing two type of tensions in the boardroom:
Firstly, natural tension between high performance team members, and
secondly, performance tensions.
The performance tensions are further broken down into 3 types of stress:
> Profitability versus growth
> Short-term versus long-term
> Success of the whole organisation versus success of individual parts.

These tensions frequently (maybe always) are present when a senior team is engaged in taking a strategic decision. In my consulting career I have personally experienced all of these types of tensions and seen good outcomes where the pressures were used positively; and less good outcomes where the tensions were not managed as well.
This article introduces the situation well and goes some way to helping us understand how to capitalise on the opportunities presented by these tensions
Business tension and strategic decisions