Why You Need Disagreements When Working On A Team

When you collaborate, it’s nice if everyone on your team gets along, but there’s a problem with agreeing on everything: No new ideas. This is also called “groupthink”. To avoid it, don’t be afraid to disagree.

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As psychologist and business strategist Liane Davey puts it at Harvard Business Review, if everyone on your team agrees on everything, “working together is pointless”. Davey writes:

What should be a messy back-and-forth process far too often falls victim to our desire to keep things harmonious and efficient. Collaboration’s promise of greater innovation and better risk mitigation can go unfulfilled because of cultural norms that say everyone should be in agreement, be supportive, and smile all the time. The common version of collaboration is desperately in need of a little more conflict.

In short, when you’re working on a team, don’t be afraid to play devil’s advocate. It might lead to other solutions, uncover some current flaws or just encourage outside-the-box thinking. For more detail, head to Davey’s full post at the link below.

If Your Team Agrees on Everything, Working Together Is Pointless [HBR]