Contributory Dissent

‘Contributory dissent’ – a healthy approach to problem solving.

In today’s interconnected world, it’s difficult for companies to solve problems without getting diverse perspectives.

The pandemic has only emphasized this.

Companies were not prepared for a global pandemic, which forced them to change many strategies.
Remote and Hybrid working, supply chains etc.

Leaders had to resort to considerable collaboration to navigate the uncertainties to deal with employees, stakeholders, suppliers, partners etc. to react and ultimately recover.

In addition to the pandemic, there were the Ukraine war, geopolitical tensions and environmental concerns.

In these fast moving times organizations need to be innovative to thrive or even survive.

So now more than ever before, leaders can’t act alone. They need to bring diverse opinions to the table and ensure all voices are fully heard.

Many leaders become defensive when they encounter dissent. They may question their judgement.
Or even become resentful when they have to re-visit their decisions.

Potential dissenters may also find it safer to keep their views to themselves, if there’s a lack of psychological safety.

What’s missing is ‘contributory dissent’ (term coined by McKinsey & Co) to move things  forward.

McKinsey defines ‘contributory dissent’ as the capability to engage in healthy divergent discussions on critical business issues.

This allows individuals to express their opinions freely  to move towards positive outcomes without undermining leadership.

It’s only in such a culture where constructive feedback is expected and given, that innovative and productive decisions take place.

As Simon Sinek puts it “The role of the leader is not to come up with all the great ideas. The role of the leader is create an environment where great ideas happen.”

While most leaders would agree that  ‘contribute dissent’ is a good thing, their reactions may differ when they actually get some.

What has been your experience with leaders whom you know?

Do share your perspectives in the comments.

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