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The Emperor Has No Clothes - Leading So People Feel Safe to Disagree

Episode Topic: Encouraging healthy disagreement to strengthen leadership and team performance

Episode Description:
In this episode of Northbound, Chris explores how leaders can foster an environment where team members feel safe to disagree. Through personal stories—including a funny and unexpected example of an old recliner becoming a "feedback chair"—Chris illustrates the value of open dialogue and psychological safety in leadership. He explains why encouraging constructive dissent leads to better decisions, innovation, and stronger team buy-in, while also sharing actionable steps for leaders to normalize dissent and respond thoughtfully to differing perspectives.

Main Points:

• The value of disagreement – Why leaders should welcome challenges to ideas.

• Psychological safety – Creating an environment where people feel respected and comfortable speaking up.

• Leading with humility and openness – Encouraging feedback regardless of seniority or experience.

• Benefits of disagreement – Better decisions, innovation, and stronger buy-in from your team.

• How to encourage it –

  • Ask open-ended questions.

  • Invite alternate perspectives regularly.

  • Respond respectfully and thoughtfully to dissent.

• Personal anecdotes / examples – Stories of learning from unexpected sources, like a young team member offering invaluable feedback.

• Pitfalls to avoid – Overreacting, shutting down dissent, or displaying frustration.

• Actionable advice for leaders –

  • Normalize dissent as part of team culture.

  • Reward honest feedback and constructive challenges.

  • Model vulnerability by admitting when you're wrong or unsure.

Key Takeaways:

• Disagreement, when encouraged, strengthens both leadership and team performance.

• Psychological safety is essential for people to feel comfortable sharing different perspectives.

• Leaders must listen, respect, and thoughtfully respond to challenges and alternate ideas.

• Normalizing open communication fosters innovation and strong organizational collaboration.

• Small, creative actions—like creating spaces for feedback—can have a lasting impact on team culture.