Collaboration Takes Disagreement

In a world filled with opinions and varying ideas it is easy to find disagreement somewhere. Being able to exchange ideas for the greater good is not only necessary but vital to progress and success. It's not so much about disagreeing but more about how you go about it.

While everyone likes to believe that their way is the best way, that is not always the case. Being able to understand the other perspective, the other idea creates a combined idea that drives the result.

In most cases varying ideas and how to achieve something don't garnish any better results but the same result. There are a million ways to get to the same goal, it's just how you get there. Each path is neither right or wrong they are just different.

When someone challenges your perspective there is this little bug inside that creates a need for you to defend yourself. It's the fight or flight switch in you that flips. This feeling you get stops you or at least tries to stop you from understanding the other side. Controlling the switch is how you become more approachable, and builds upon your communication efforts.

The fight side of the switch is very detrimental in your ability to communicate, build relationships, and even maintain a job. Constantly saying you are right or your methods are the best will shut down any type of collaborative effort and ability to grow personally or professionally. Yes, there are times when the fight side is needed but you know what they say, you get more out of gold than you do a whip.

Flying away from disagreement also produces detrimental effects. Not standing your ground in the face of challenge or ducking your head every time someone pushes leads to security issues, depression, and showing people that they can walk all over you.

Collaboration and team unity all have one thing in common, the utilization of multiple minds. Next time you are exchanging ideas, make a conscious effort to understand the other perspective. You know what they say, there is more than one way to clean a bathroom.