Most leaders treat tension like a problem to solve: pick a side, push harder, and move on. But the reality is, many challenges aren’t solvable, they’re polarities, meaning two interdependent values that both matter (like speed and quality, acquisition and retention, hierarchy and participation).

In this conversation, we unpack why leaders get trapped in recurring conflict loops, how ego and expert status hijack dialogue, and why resistance often contains wisdom leaders don’t have yet. Tracy and Michelle share the practical difference between problems and polarities, how to build “dynamic balance” instead of pendulum swings, and how to use polarity mapping tools and early warning signs to course-correct early — before friction becomes burnout, churn, or breakdown.

• How to quickly tell: problem to solve vs polarity to leverage

• Why “resistance” often reveals risk, values, and insight

• The 3-part framework: Mindset, Relationships, Dialogue

• How polarity thinking reduces burnout with personal polarities like work/home, activity/rest, being/doing
  
  https://www.polarityintelligence.com/
  

Want to know how to use AI to grow faster, without scaling the wrong thing and breaking customer trust? This episode is for you. Most companies are using AI to move faster in the wrong direction, optimizing for efficiency while ignoring the real growth levers: trust, empathy, and innovation.

In this episode, Marlyne introduces some Scale With AI best practices and explains how to move from the Efficiency Floor (time/cost reduction) to the Innovation Ceiling (better experiences, higher conversion, retention, and LTV).

You’ll learn:
- The two levels of AI value and why most teams stall at the floor (McKinsey’s 2025 survey identifies only ~6% as “AI high performers” achieving meaningful value).

- Why AI should be a copilot for empathy (pattern detection from real signals → human judgment → product change).

- The best way to build trust in to your customer journey and how to work with synthetic data while avoiding the echo chamber trap it can create.

CTA: Send this to an executive or product leader treating AI like a productivity hack instead of a strategy advantage.

In this Year-in-Wrap conversation, Marlyne unpacks why emotional wellness is not optional “extra credit” for leaders in 2026. it’s the foundational infrastructure that shapes decision-making, health, relationships, and business outcomes. She connects the cultural signals to what people are really searching for: regulation, meaning, stability and a plan that doesn’t cost your peace.