In a team, it is normal that different people will have different opinions. That’s part of what makes it interesting to work together as a team. It’s an opportunity to learn about different perspectives through the exchange, discuss them and then find the way to a decision the team can commit to.

The nuance here is, that committing to a decision doesn’t need to mean that everyone agrees that it is the right thing to do. What the team commits to, is to all accept what they decided would be their path and act accordingly.

That, however, only works if team members are willing to share what they are thinking and let others decide how they react to it.

Since advertisement and marketing are around, people often believe that they have to take a different approach. They seek to persuade others to share their view. It’s a debate that easily leads into an us vs. them attitude. One where winning the point is more important than doing what is good for the organization.

At the same time, when team members are not sure about their views and if they will be the chosen direction, they fear their reputation more than stay interested in the overarching goal. That’s when they start to do some mind-acrobatics. They think about the reactions they would want others to have and choose their own words accordingly. So instead of sharing their thinking, they contribute with the desire to make others react in a specific way.

This makes it impossible to talk about the real thing. People are too busy thinking about reactions and their individual goals. They are stuck in politics.

A simpler approach is to develop one’s thinking and share it.

It may not be the easier approach, but it shows courage and is based on their commitment to the team.