To Fear or Not to Fear

I was raised in a highly hierarchical work environment. Employees weren’t supposed to disagree with their boss, even asking a question to the boss wouldn’t be appropriate. As a result, leaders were being told only what they wanted to hear – “Everything is working fine, no further questions”.

Many years have passed, and companies have evolved a lot. Today’s leaders are far more inclusive, empowerment has become an important management trend. Nevertheless, remnants of old hierarchical environments are still present in many organizations. People are still too often holding back from contributing to critical discussions in the workplace because they fear what they say could be used against them. Questioning a decision from the boss is still rare, regardless of how bad the decision may seem. In an environment where we are asked to be collaborative, it seems that we need to show appreciation and agreement for everyone’s ideas, even if we disagree with them. People often choose to stay quiet to avoid creating an exposure or being called uncooperative. The consequences of these behaviors can be disastrous.?

In her 2012 Ted Talk “Dare do Disagree” (4.7M views), Margaret Heffernan calls for the need for more “constructive disagreements” in the workplace. Conflicts lead to growth; thinking the same way as everyone else may make us feel comfortable, but leads to stagnation. Some organizations don’t evolve because they are too afraid of conflict, she says. Disagreements fuel our curiosity, make us question the status quo, and consider alternative ways to achieve the best outcome. Of course, we are not talking about personal disagreements where people attack each other or make others feel unsafe. It’s just the opposite; since we care for each other, we want nothing but the best. We are talking about situations when people dare to break the silence and create constructive conflicts that push them to consider new approaches and enable them and those around them to leverage their very best thinking.

Psychological safety, though, doesn’t come naturally. People have a natural difficulty disagreeing with their boss or teammates. To create a culture where people feel safe to express their thoughts, psychological safety must be institutionalized in the workplace. Constructive conflicts should be viewed as the norm and not the exception. People should be trained to disagree and question each other’s arguments respectfully. They must raise their thoughts at meetings, presentations, or work teams without fearing being perceived negatively or damaging work relationships – and feel safe to admit mistakes, change their minds, and raise their concerns without any fear of being penalized. People who raise their ideas and constructively challenge the status quo, the boss, or team members must be recognized publicly and at performance reviews. They should feel excited about having constructive conflicts with their teammates and finding innovative answers to their most challenging problems.