Disagree and Commit

If you work in a high-functioning team you’re never going to get your way all the time. If you do, I can speak from experience that you suck to work with. So how do you deal with extremely smart, driven individuals who want to get their way too?

Disagree and commit

I think I first heard the concept on a podcast about Amazon’s culture. Famously, Bezos used it in a shareholder letter in 2016. Bezos used it as a way to encourage fast-paced decision-making on a young Amazon team. You’re never going to please everyone so why attempt to get unanimous approval on decisions?

How do you disagree with someone politely?

Wait, so you can openly disagree with people and those people will still talk to to you? HOW?!? Wild concept hey? I wish someone would have told my siblings about this when I was growing up! HA!

You can disagree with someone in a nice way. You can talk about the points you agree with, you can mention that though you do disagree your disagreement shouldn’t deter them from doing it. Quite the opposite. When someone disagrees with you but still encourages you to attempt what you set out to do, they’re trying to motivate you. They don’t believe it could happen but there’s a chance that you may be successful. They’re hedging your bet.

You don’t need to have the final say in decisions

You’re never going to always have the final say. You’re never going to always get your way. Instead of ruining your reputation around the office get comfortable with not knowing. Disagreeing and committing shows the people around you that you’re not simply a pushover when a decision is being made and you openly disagree with what’s being decided but that isn’t enough evidence to stop it completely.

What decisions do you NOT have the final say in?

We disagree about stuff almost daily but I am a big fan of trusting the people I work with to prove me wrong. I, like most business owners, am quite egotistical. I like making decisions, I like the power of being able to have the final decision. But I know that if I make all the decisions, my team won’t want to work with me. That’s why I openly put my opinion second to others on the team for a lot of things around StratLab.

Our brand? Not my decision. Our logo? Not my decision. Our website? Again, I’m not the person who gets the final say on it. Making other people champions of parts of the company gives them power and authority, both precursors to self-confidence. If I were to make all decisions I don’t think the folks on my team would have the confidence they have today.

How are you building up your team?

Stop standing in the way of progress on your team just because you don’t fully understand that new idea. Commit to it, your team will respect you more.