Finding Harmony in Disagreement

When solving complex problems, we should all have one common goal: to get to the best solution in the room. We should all be working together towards this goal of the best possible answer.

But what about when disagreements occur? When we’re working together, disagreements can feel like a big derailment.

In reality, disagreements are a positive thing to encounter as we work through the problem. Disagreements can show that you are hearing more than one good idea and that you are disagreeing about which is the best!

When you have total agreement in the room, it leaves open the possibility that groupthink has taken over. We can fall into a trap of agreeing for the sake of agreement. Rather than exploring different ideas (and potentially encountering disagreements) we settle on what everyone else is agreeing to.

The more ideas in a room, the better your chances of hearing and considering the best one. Disagreement can be good because it shows that people are thinking creatively about solving the problem rather than just agreeing on the first solution that presents itself.

When you disagree, it proves you've considered more than one approach, which increases your odds of one of them being the best approach.

The next time you face a complex problem, don’t shy away from disagreement. It means your team is on the road to the best solution!

Until next time…we are Advoco, make every minute count.

About Jim Lazio: As a Technical Solutions Architect, Jim is responsible for designing and building innovative technical solutions for Advoco-internal and client-based systems. When Jim isn't at the office he is spending time with his wife hiking in the wilderness or coming up with a new strategy for the latest board game release.

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