Having diverse opinions is really important in teamwork. When everyone thinks the same, we are in scary territory. It leads to groupthink. I really encourage you to read my blog from 2021, Groupthink…Does it Exist in School Districts and on School Boards.
We do not want a bunch of people who all think the same making all of the decisions. That will suck. It sounds lovely to the people who share the leading opinion, but it is really hell on wheels dressed in a bow. An absolute disaster for society.
I offer the Twinkie theory for consideration.
I watched a clip on Facebook recently which was really spot on. If you value community and relationships, you can’t make polarizing statements.
That is tricky. And I guess it will be context-specific and case-dependent for your audience in other situations. But in team meetings, this is the line we walk. This is where advocacy skill is demonstrated.
Advocating is hard because you have conversations with people you disagree with. You need to have these conversations in a way that allows for further discussions to continue. We don’t want them to shut the door and shut us out. Because most likely, the people you disagree with have a position of power, and they are the ones who are gatekeeping. If you don’t want to engage with people you disagree with, your advocacy will progress at a much slower rate.
The most highly skilled advocates that I have witnessed are people who are able to invite people into uncomfortable conversations and offer them enough safety in that conversation for them to be able to change their mind with dignity.
THAT is when progress occurs.