Written by Recently, I read an article from the Harvard Business Review on why disagreements were so vital for a thriving culture. It really made me stop and think about my experience working with teams. At what point do we actually ever discuss disagreeing in a positive manner? I’ve seen plenty of models on communication and none of them so bluntly highlight the how healthy and empowering an environment is, when it embraces disagreements.
Embracing disagreements allow for:
- Different perspectives to be shared
- Collaborative problem-solving
- Two-way communication
- Psychological safety (It is okay to share my perspective without retribution)
Too often we teach communication through how to be assertive, but the techniques do not override the culture. As a leader demonstrate the openness to share diverse thoughts and perspectives by leading from example by openly asking for feedback and praise alternative perspectives.
“Remember, teamwork begins by building trust and the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability”
– Patrick Lencioni