Idea in Brief
The Problem
Given heightened tensions over politics and movements such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter, polarization in the workplace is worse than ever before. Fostering passionate debate and preserving collaboration and trust seem like an impossible mission.
The Root Cause
Many leaders—and people in general—have misconceptions about the psychology of disagreement, causing them to avoid discussions on contentious topics rather than try to engage.
The Solution
Organizations can train people to defuse their fears of disagreeing with others, cultivate a mindset that’s open to hearing and trying to understand opposing opinions, and pick their words carefully in discussions. Leaders can also foster an overall culture that encourages receptiveness to colleagues with differing points of view.
One of the most difficult challenges leaders of all organizations face is managing diverse perspectives. Much has been written on the benefits for teams and organizations of engaging with opposing views, fostering productive disagreement, and creating “teams of rivals.” Yet anyone who has been involved in such work knows that disagreements on strongly held opinions, often related to personal identity, are always tough and frequently destructive. That’s truer today than ever before, as topics from the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements to environmentalism and remote work have elevated both the need for thoughtful discussion and the desire to avoid it. In a 2021 survey we found that conflict is an inescapable part of work life for employees at all levels. Eighty-nine percent of the 486 U.S. respondents from a wide range of companies and industries reported experiencing it at work to some degree. They spend about 3.5 hours a week, on average, dealing with it.
