It’s easy to say you welcome disagreement. But what matters more is what people experience after they offer it. If your reaction is defensive, dismissive, or subtly punishing, people learn quickly that honesty comes at a cost. The next time they have a different opinion, they’ll keep it to themselves.
How you respond in these moments becomes the culture. Do you pause and consider their view? Or do you rush to justify your own? Do you thank them for the courage it took to speak up? Or change the subject to avoid discomfort? The moment someone disagrees with you is not a test of their respect. It is actually a test of yours.
This kind of self-awareness is rare, but it makes all the difference. People don’t expect you to always agree with them. They just want to feel like they were heard before a decision was made. If your go-to move is shutting things down quickly, you’re not just ending a conversation, you’re making it harder for the next one to even start.
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