Are we open to dissent?

Dissent is a word that has achieved a notoriety at odds with its meaning.

Dissent is ‘The holding or expression of opinions at variance with those commonly or officially held’.

However, it is the application of this word to sporting and political contexts, and the sanctions applied, that have left dissent associated with negative outcomes.

‘She was yellow carded for dissent.’

‘Those who dissented were sent to prison.’

Perhaps also it has achieved this status as a word because we are simply not programmed as human beings to be open to dissent. Few of us like feedback that doesn’t chime with our view of the world.

Or do we deliberately stifle dissent? From an early age we are dissuaded from dissenting from the officially held line. ‘It’s bedtime’, ‘Eat your greens’, ‘Line up outside the classroom’, ‘Do your homework’, ‘Tidy your room’. Before too long most children simply accept that hierarchies are not to be challenged.

And this persists into adulthood. Often, we agree with decisions taken at work for an easy life or because we want to ‘get on’ and expressing a different view might harm those goals. Inside we might be boiling with anger or brimming with different ideas as to how something should be done but we nod our heads and move on.

Many would baulk at the idea of a workplace where dissent was encouraged. ‘There would be anarchy’, ‘We wouldn’t get anything done’, ‘There is a hierarchy for a reason’. Again, this is presupposing that dissent is a bad word.

We should be encouraging dissent. Yes, by doing so we might be managing how dissent is given i.e. ensuring any dissent is framed positively, but we are also opening ourselves and our organisations to different opinions that might indeed be at odds with those officially held.

This gets to the heart of harnessing creativity in the workplace. The greatest creatives; artists, musicians, writers, are all dissenters whether against governments, the mores of society, religion etc. Those who dissent are thinking creatively about different ways of making things better.

If you are not open to dissent you are stifling creativity in the workplace. You are also inhibiting growth and improvement and, ultimately, business success. Positive dissent should be encouraged and harnessed to ensure all voices and new ideas are heard.

Are you open to dissent?