Emotional attribution and emotional ambivalence: Differences between managers with high vs. low paradox mindset

Extant literature has determined ways to measure paradox mindset and has focused on the positive relationship between paradox mindset and organizational outcomes. Studies that explore the potential negative consequences of a paradox mindset as well as the differences between individuals with low-high paradox mindset are scarce. In addition, the focus of paradox mindset studies has been primarily on the cognitive dimension despite the general agreement that paradoxes lead to affective reactions. Our paper advances paradox theory by drawing on the paradox mindset scale to better understand how individuals deal with emotions. By focusing on emotions, we answer the following research questions: What are the differences between managers with low and high paradox mindset in dealing with emotions? Are managers with high paradox mindset better at managing emotions? How do managers with low paradox mindset manage emotions? Our findings show that individuals engage in emotional attribution. Managers with low paradox mindset attribute responsibility to others, rather than themselves, more than individuals with high paradox mindset. Secondly, our findings show that individuals with low paradox mindset express emotional ambivalence. We contribute to the literature on microfoundations of paradox and by operationalising the paradox mindset scale and examining differences in emotions, we also contribute to the literature on paradox and emotions.