Dissent and disagreement are inevitable in any organisation. Business and political leaders try to project a united front as they know that anyone dealing with an organisation that seems riddled with internal strife is likely not to want to associate themselves with such disruptive behaviour. How often have we heard bosses appealing to their workers that they must not rock the boat?
There are, of course, different types of dissent. Undoubtedly, some organisations have troublemakers who will oppose anything they perceive to be in their way of achieving what they want. Such people will use their informal networks in politics or the media to leak sensitive information that they hope will undermine the authority of their bosses. This phenomenon is mainly present in public organisations where political intrigue is rarely missing. This is one reason that is undermining public sector organisations from achieving success in good governance.
The more progressive organisation promotes a culture where dissent and disagreement are considered inherent elements of collaborative working. Rather than suffering from a ‘don’t rock the boat syndrome’, leaders of these organisations encourage all employees to ‘sing from the same hymn sheet’. Team-building training sessions are a regular feature to promote a sense of belonging in all employees, where differences of opinion are addressed so that, in the end, all those involved in a task work together to reach their common objective.
Having discussions and challenges to authority is good. It prevents people from getting into a mindset built on the line that ‘we do it this way because we have always done it this way’. Groupthink is a silent killer of the modern organisation because avoidance of conflict is often less laborious than dealing with it healthily. How often have we been heard saying “Yes” when deep in our hearts we meant “No”? Without dissent, an organisation may believe everything is going well. They refuse to change, no matter how beneficial change might be. This is why some organisations lose the trust of their stakeholders and only try to do something about it when it is too late.
Dissent can manifest itself in different ways and with varying intensity. Employees or colleagues in an organisation can express disagreement verbally and non-verbally. They may resort to passive or aggressive behaviours or withdraw from work socially and professionally. Good leaders need to focus on workplace dynamics to identify signs of dissent at an early stage and deal with it constructively.
Good leaders need to focus on workplace dynamics to identify signs of dissent at an early stage and deal with it constructively
Some extrovert workers find it easy to express their dissent to their leaders openly and articulately. They are often impatient and want their views to be acted on with urgency, failing which they often declare all-out war on whoever they perceive is wrong on whatever issue irks them. A good leader knows that this is a great time to take concrete action to investigate and defuse the situation before it escalates. If reconciliation of ideas seems impossible, it may be more beneficial to acknowledge this by severing a dysfunctional working relationship.
A more severe form of dissent is latent. A disgruntled employee or colleague would typically turn to a co-worker rather than their immediate superior to discuss the issue. Large organisations frequently have subcultures where dissenters gang together in informal networks, discuss their gripes over a coffee in the canteen, leak information to the media, and feed information to the grapevine of their organisation. These cliques sap the morale of many workers who want to get on with their job without the stress of navigating their organisation’s subculture.
The most toxic stage of dissent is reached when organisational issues are discussed externally. This can happen in limited circles of friends or, more seriously, on social media and other public-facing venues. When this stage is reached, it is difficult to repair the damage done by mismanaged dissent. The world of politics is constantly dealing with displaced conflict that most people consider a sign of poor and ineffective leadership.
It must be emphasised that dissent does not just occur between subordinates and superiors. It can also be evident in bosses who disapprove of the behaviour of their team members. In such cases, lower-ranking employees struggle to be treated fairly.
A good leader must observe behaviour during meetings with their team. Dissent does not just happen. Friction builds over time. Managers should normalise the practice of asking for input, feedback and other points of view during a formal or informal meeting. This is an excellent tactic to let people let off steam constructively.