The T-Rex Arms Problem: Disagreements don’t break teams—half-hearted commitment does.

“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” — Phil Jackson

THE QUESTION

How do you handle disagreements on your team?

How do you handle disagreements on your team?

Every strong team debates, questions, and pushes back. That’s the essence of collaboration. But what happens after the decision is made?

Do your team members fully commit to moving forward together, or do they hold back, waiting to say, “I told you so” if things don’t go well?

This delicate balance between healthy disagreement and full commitment defines a high-performing team.

So, how do we foster a culture where both can coexist?

THE RESEARCH

Teams with open conflict resolution and robust commitment outperform teams that avoid disagreements.

In Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, he highlights that teams often struggle with two crucial dynamics:

1. Fear of Conflict: Without healthy debate, ideas remain untested, leading to poor decision-making.

2. Lack of Commitment: When team members don’t fully support a decision, it weakens execution and morale.

Lencioni’s research underscores the importance of two-way trust: leaders must foster spaces for disagreement, and team members must commit fully once a decision is made.

SOME ADVICE

In our leadership work, we call this phenomenon “T-Rex arms”—when someone half-heartedly supports a decision, holding back just enough effort to avoid full responsibility.

As a leader, your role is twofold:

1. Encourage Disagreement: Before making a final decision, create a safe environment for debate and dissent. Healthy disagreement sharpens ideas and leads to better outcomes.

2. Demand Commitment: Once a decision is made, ensure everyone understands their responsibility to the team’s success—even if they initially disagree.

It’s not about being “right”; it’s about achieving the team’s goals.

YOUR HACK

Here’s how you can lead your team to embrace both healthy debate and unwavering commitment:

1. Set the Stage for Debate: At the start of decision-making, invite differing opinions. Use questions like:

• “What are we missing?”
• “Does anyone see potential risks?”
• “What would it look like if this didn’t work?”

This reinforces psychological safety and ensures all voices are heard. When people feel safe to share their concerns, you’re less likely to encounter resistance later.

2. Establish a Clear Decision-Making Process: Clarify how decisions are made—by consensus, majority, or leadership call. Team members are more likely to respect the outcome when the process is transparent. Clear rules eliminate ambiguity and make transitioning from debate to action easier.

3. Call for Commitment Explicitly: After a decision, check-in:

• “Are we all aligned on this?”
• “What does full commitment look like from each of us?”

Naming the expectation makes it harder for individuals to fall into half-hearted support. Verbalizing alignment ensures every team member is personally invested in the next steps.

4. Address “T-Rex Arms” Directly: If you notice a team member holding back, have a private conversation. Ask:

• “What’s holding you back from fully committing?”
• “How can I support you in moving forward with this decision?”

These conversations aren’t about blame but uncovering barriers to full engagement and ensuring alignment before progress stalls.

PARTING THOUGHTS

Disagreement is a sign of a healthy, engaged team. But it’s what comes next that separates good teams from great ones.

When leaders create space for debate and set clear expectations for commitment, teams make better decisions and execute them with strength and unity.

So ask yourself:

How can you lead your team to debate fiercely, decide wisely, and commit fully?

Because when every member is all in, there’s no limit to what your team can achieve.

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Sincerely,

The Unicorn Labs Team

(P.S. We have a podcast! Check out our conversations with fellow leaders on Apple Podcasts & Spotify)

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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