The importance of respecting differing opinions should not be underestimated. We are all unique with different perspectives which contribute to the strength of any team. It might sound counterintuitive, but having differing opinions on your team can actually create a more cohesive work environment.1 When each team member is treated fairly with every opinion seen as valid and valued, everyone can work together towards the same goal.
Imagine a team where everyone thinks alike, where there is no room for diverse opinions. While it may seem like a harmonious environment, it can actually limit the team’s potential for growth and innovation. When everyone has the same opinion, it can create a tunnel vision effect, where potential risks and alternative solutions are overlooked.
By having diverse opinions, teams can identify blind spots and consider alternative approaches that may have otherwise been missed. It is through the clash of differing opinions that new ideas are born, and existing ideas are challenged and refined.2
Of course, differing opinions can grow heated when not properly managed. There are basic steps that can help foster differing views as opportunities for growth and innovation, rather than as obstacles.
• Create an environment of open communication. The entire team should be given carte blanche to express individual thoughts and ideas. In other words, team meetings should be safe spaces to share rather than to compete.
• Be aware of introvert vs. extrovert personalities on the team. Make sure the extroverts don’t take up all the time in team meetings. The introverts may require a bit of prodding, but they often have great ideas that go unheard.
• The most effective team leaders practice active listening. Make this something the entire team participates in. The mere act of listening respectfully to others can help create a mutually appreciative environment, regardless of the differences in perspectives.
• Ask for constructive feedback. This becomes organic when the team functions cohesively with different perspectives seen as beneficial to the overall goals.
• Share recognition of team members as a whole. Regardless of which “idea” serves as the springboard for new decisions, the whole team deserves credit for reaching a consensus.
Team unity and collaboration are the goals for healthy debates and varying perspectives. The same holds true for family discussions and strategic planning in any type of groups. Open- mindedness and encouraging individuals to speak up while respecting everyone else in the group is a great way to role model inclusivity for kids and peers.
2 https://www.urbanchallenger.com/blog/how-to-resolve-with-differing-opinions-in-a-team
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