"The Dangers of Avoiding Disagreement Picture the scene: You have presented your latest ideas to your colleagues in a leadership team meeting. You have spent hours developing your arguments and are emotionally invested in the solutions you have proposed; you truly believe they provide the best route forward for your department. As the discussion moves around the table, one of your closest colleagues unexpectedly challenges your suggested solution."
"How do you respond? If your instinct is to avoid confrontation, the chances are that you'll silently seethe while letting the conversation shift towards your colleague's perspective. Dr. Lynda Shaw, a leadership psychologist who focuses on helping organisations use behavioural neuroscience to get the most out of their teams, contends that we avoid disagreement because "we either acquiesce or we go quiet. We agree for agreement's sake.""
Avoiding workplace conflict often feels safe, but silence commonly masks resentment, inhibits creativity, and damages long-term trust. When handled with respect and curiosity, disagreement becomes a powerful engine for collaboration, innovation, and stronger relationships. Many people respond to challenge by acquiescing or going quiet, which others interpret as agreement and which increases anger and shifts perceptions, harming future interactions. Leaders must create space for dissent and normalise healthy debate. Simple actions such as inviting challenge and checking in with silent voices reduce hidden costs, improve decisions, and increase engagement.
Read at Psychology Today
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