Don’t Discourage Dissent Fear, uncertainty and doubt are good things

Don’t Discourage Dissent: Many view conflict as harmful and try to suppress it, but disagreement is healthy. It is an opportunity to have a meaningful conversation, and we should encourage it.

FUD – fear, uncertainty, and doubt. No, not the marketing sort of FUD, but the kind of stuff in your head whenever a change occurs.

It is OK to fear and question things, to have doubts and reservations. It is a natural part of the thinking, reflection, and commitment process.

Every new endeavor starts this way. If it doesn’t, then there is a good chance something is wrong.

The last thing we should do is stifle these thoughts. They must be expressed openly and actively solicited.

Coercing people to agree or commit is one of the many destructive things we do to each other.

Expressing our true feelings starts a conversation that leads to ownership, responsibility, accountability, and commitment.

If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.

Credit: George Patton

Knowledge Cafés and Dissent

Managers sometimes explain their decision not to run a Knowledge Café by saying they fear participants will complain or voice contrary opinions on emotionally charged or contentious issues.

Or, if they run a Café, they try to craft the question carefully to avoid negative responses.

They will also often try to control who participates to eliminate more outspoken, negative voices. Or, in one case I heard of, brief the table hosts on who the likely troublemakers are and how to control them.

They try to control people by preventing them from expressing their feelings, but this only drives dissent underground. People are still negative, but they do so quietly, out of sight, over lunch or coffee.

Indeed, it is better to surface the issues.

Many managers fail to realize that dissent is positive, not negative. People must feel free to express their opinions, views, and reservations.

You want more than just lip service. It is fine for people to have reservations, doubts, and concerns.

You need to surface these doubts, reservations, and even hostility. It is healthy for people to vent their feelings.

Issues can be addressed once they are in the open. If they remain hidden, they fester. Misunderstandings can be quickly cleared up, and genuine issues can be addressed.

Dissent is the cousin of diversity; the respect for a wide range of beliefs.

This begins by allowing people the space to say “no.”

If we cannot say “no” then “yes” has no meaning.

Each needs the chance to express their doubts and reservations without having to justify them or move quickly into problem-solving.

“No” is the beginning of the conversation for commitment.

Doubt and “no” is a symbolic expression of people finding their space and role in the strategy.

It is when we fully understand what people do not want that choice becomes possible.

The leadership task is to surface doubts and dissent without having an answer to every question.

Credit: Peter Block

Dissent is healthy. We should not try to suppress it. It is an opportunity to have a meaningful conversation.

Resources

• Psychology Today: Strengthening Collaboration Through Encouraging Dissent by Miki Kashtan