Disagreements are a fact of life, not just for the person on the street but also for top executives in large corporations. Even the most experienced and knowledgeable senior managers can have strongly opposing views about the wisest course of action for an organization, particularly when those individuals come from different backgrounds or corporate cultures. Consider the mix of senior leadership values in rapid major bank roll-ups such as Citigroup Inc. (Salomon Brothers, Smith Barney, Travellers and Citibank) or JP Morgan Chase & Co. (Chase Manhattan, Chemical Bank, Manufacturers Hanover, Bank One and First Chicago). Indeed, in the face of relentless pressure from competitors, increasing scrutiny from the investment community and growing uncertainty about firm strategy, differences of opinion are commonplace. But what effect do these differences and disagreements have on the management team, on its decisions and, ultimately, on the organization itself?
To begin, it’s important to recognize that disagreements are not a simple commodity, like sand, which can be lumped together and weighed on a scale. In reality, disagreements come in all shapes and sizes and occur between individuals, between individuals and groups and between groups themselves. Some disagreements, usually those centered on how best to approach a particular task, are beneficial to decision making and to the team itself because they surface flawed assumptions, expose concealed gaps in information and force debate... To read the complete article, login or sign-up using the form below.
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