Tag: disagreement

On disagreements

Speak your mind. Don’t be afraid to disagree, but know the difference between healthy disagreement/debate and an argument. Don’t call people names or lose your temper when debating. And as you’re stating your opinion, keep one thing in mind – you’re not that smart.

You won’t always be right and you shouldn’t always have an answer to everything. It’s ok to say, “I don’t know.”

Do not cling to an opinion and be afraid to change it – keep an open mind. If you gain more information on a subject, whether by collecting it yourself or being told new info from someone else, it should either be adding to your argument or breaking it down. Either way, the balance should be shifting one way or the other.

Welcoming disagreements

One of the most difficult lessons many leaders learn (or fail to learn) is the necessity to welcome and tolerate disagreement.
“One of the most difficult lessons many leaders learn (or fail to learn) is the necessity to welcome and tolerate disagreement.”

There are two ends of the agreement spectrum that we should try to avoid…

The first is to be 💯% agreeable on everything, aka a “yes man.” This is conflict avoidance at its worst.

The other end of the spectrum is to always shut others’ ideas down right away because they don’t align with your thoughts. Nobody can tell you anything if it doesn’t support your opinion. This is someone who craves confrontation and seeks it out.

I’m working on improving in this area (on both ends of the spectrum) – trying to learn the best ways to tactfully disagree. You should have original thoughts and feel comfortable voicing your opinion. But there are things that matter more and things that matter less which should/shouldn’t be argued about or debated. You don’t have to “win” every argument, and by always “needing” to be right, you will eventually discourage others from voicing their opinions around you.