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Encourage the dissenters

“The pro-change constituency must always be more powerful than the no-change constituency.”

There is a tendency in every organization to discount disputatious or divergent points of view. Those with an interest in defening the status quo often regard dissent as subverssive. Yet history shows it was often the malcontents and the contrarians who had the most prescient view of tomorrow’s threats and opportunities. So rather than marginalize the outliers, organizations must ensure that their voices are heard. Internal debates about strategy and policy must be vigorous, open and uncensored, and every management processes must encourage those with discomforting views to speak up.

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Encourage the dissenters

“The pro-change constituency must always be more powerful than the no-change constituency.”

There is a tendency in every organization to discount disputatious or divergent points of view. Those with an interest in defening the status quo often regard dissent as subverssive. Yet history shows it was often the malcontents and the contrarians who had the most prescient view of tomorrow’s threats and opportunities. So rather than marginalize the outliers, organizations must ensure that their voices are heard. Internal debates about strategy and policy must be vigorous, open and uncensored, and every management processes must encourage those with discomforting views to speak up.

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Expecting a group of highly educated, culturally fixed Ph.Ds who are excellent researchers to run their own operation may have been fine 80 years ago when educational operations were run, staffed, and
Barrier by Aaron Anderson on September 3, 2010
Many employees are afraid to admit that they do not have enough work because they fear that they might be laid off if word gets out.
Barrier by Anusha John on August 13, 2010
I've got a new book forthcoming ( http://www.sup.org/book.cgi?id=16531 ) that is based on the research that I did for my Ph.D.
Barrier by Aaron Anderson on May 28, 2010
Many managers ask their employees questions that open up thinking to problems, challenges, new ideas, and improvements.Unfortunately, some managers use these questions only to fulfill a social functio
Barrier by Kraig Parkinson on April 30, 2010
Many great ideas for what needs to be done or fixed at an organization get suggested.But never in any formal forum - the best ideas often come up when out for drinks, or in furtive cubicle conversatio
Barrier by Eric Nehrlich on April 16, 2010