How do you create a team culture where people actually speak up — even when it’s uncomfortable? In this episode, we explore the power of constructive dissent and how it fuels innovation, better decisions, and stronger teams. Learn the 4-step process for productive disagreement, why leaders often struggle with dissent, and how to turn conflict into your team’s secret weapon.
✍🏼 Harvard Business Review Article: https://hbr.org/2025/02/how-constructive-dissent-can-unlock-your-teams-innovation
📥 Download the resources/slides from the episode: http://www.leaderfactor.com/resources/how-to-build-constructive-dissent-in-4-steps
📖 Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro
01:32 – Imagine you’re in a room with the CEO…
03:02 – Why silence kills innovation
05:41 – “If you can’t argue productively, you can’t innovate.”
07:05 – The link between dissent and innovation
09:27 – Why we’re wired for conformity
11:49 – Why leaders must intervene to create a culture of dissent
15:36 – Managing ego: The true leadership skill
17:34 – Tim on handling dissent poorly and self-correcting
20:36 – “You have a professional obligation to dissent.”
24:40 – The 4-step process: Generation, Clarification, Friction, Selection
34:02 – Soft-angle dissent vs. head-on collision
37:58 – How to guide a team into Selection
40:54 – Practical behaviors for encouraging dissent
44:19 – Final thoughts
🎬 Watch our most recent videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6sIjV1NQzDb0VPdIFsCGTt5s0GOEBF1M&si=H8dH2HNobRkhvsM5
🔎 Learn more about our globally proven frameworks:
https://www.leaderfactor.com/
💡Bring our training to your organization:
https://www.leaderfactor.com/forms/strategy-call
Connect with us:
⭐ Join our newsletter: https://www.leaderfactor.com/resources#subscribe
⭐ Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leaderfactor