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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.

18 Stories
36 Hacks
5 Barriers

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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This entry tells the extraordinary story of how a small group of trainee clinicians, young leaders and improvement facilitators from within the National Health Service (NHS) of England created a call
Story by Helen Bevan on June 14, 2013
In its new business groups, Applied Materials has changed the way decisions are made.  Each week in the Solar Business Group, a technology roadmap/strategy meeting is held with all levels of empl
Story by Brendan McComb on September 16, 2010
Every new employee at Red Hat quickly learns about memo-list, one of the most visible elements of the Red Hat culture.
Story by DeLisa Alexander on August 24, 2011
I can summarize your slow growth easily. There are two types of people you and HR would never hire. You adore Steve Jobs and Einstein. Yet, let’s be honest shall we. You use Apple products.
Story by Jim Woods on October 28, 2013
In the Jaycee organization there is a simple definition of a leader; a leader has followers. I learned there are several types of followers; voluntary, hired, and assigned.
Story by Jim McGriff, Jr. on February 23, 2014
I remember my first encounter with an expert. I was the night manager at the Timme Plaza Restaurant in Wilmington, North Carolina, when the event occurred.
Story by Jim McGriff, Jr. on April 24, 2015

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