The 5 steps to effectively disagree and commit
You had an alignment meeting, and concerns were raised, but the group seemed to eventually agree on a path forward. The decision was documented, a summary email was sent out, and all seemed well. Then, out of nowhere, the same concerns resurface, smaller meetings on the topic start to pop up, and the group grinds to inaction.
Whether you are the one trying to reach alignment or the one in disagreement, partial commitment to a decision is frustrating.
“Agree and commit, disagree and commit, or get out of the way” — Scott McNealy
Disagree and commit is a management practice that has been around for decades. Great business leaders like Scott McNealy (Founder, Sun Microsystems) and Jeff Bezos (Founder, Amazon) have embedded it as the foundational leadership principle of their organizations.
At its core, disagree and commit states that anyone should feel empowered to disagree with a decision while it’s being made. Once it’s actually made, everyone needs to commit to the decision regardless of their previous opinion.
It’s simple but not easy. In my experience, the following 5 steps lead to a more empowering disagreement and commitment.
Understand the decision
A disagreement often surfaces within a complex network of personal relationships and business politics. To look past all that and focus on the essence of the decision, we really need to listen and understand.
- What research and analysis is this decision based on?
- Why is this decision being made now? What has recently changed?
Understand yourself
Much like the world around us, our lives are complex and full of influences that we don’t always consciously understand. Thus it’s critical to look within and really understand why you feel the way you feel about a decision.
- Why do I disagree? Is this my ego or do I really have a better approach?
- What if I go with the decision? How will it materially affect my interests?
Express your perspective
The same fundamental disagreement, expressed differently, can be interpreted as a helpful course correction or an unproductive argument.
- Reframe the disagreement as how questions.
i.e. Instead of saying “I don’t think this will give our users what they need. Why are we doing this?”, say “How will this give our users what they need?”. - If the decision feels rushed and you are struggling to express your perspective, say that you need time to think it through.
Set a commitment timeline
Before committing in spite of your disagreement, align on a specific date when the decision can be revisited. Additionally, define the criteria that can be used to evaluate whether a decision should be changed at that point in time.
Set a calendar reminder, commit, and forget about the disagreement!
Revisit the disagreement
Regardless of who was right or wrong, revisit the decision on the agreed-upon date and evaluate if something should be changed. Instead of saying or feeling “I told you so” you collaborate on improving the approach going forward.
