In the public square, we don’t see much dialogue these days. It seems like it is mostly people yelling at one another.
In the business-organization world, we can’t waste time yelling at one another. The collective needs to forge a path forward.
But how do you do that when sides are taken and the differences are significant? The answer is: Dialogue. Let’s consider this hypothetical workplace example and infuse some ideas from a recent Harvard Business Review article.
Let’s imagine that your boss has given a team of equals a challenge to solve. You serve as a member of this team and there are two factions on what solution your organization should pursue. You and a person from the other faction decide to meet to discuss this. The boss has made it clear that the team needs to settle this, i.e., “Figure it out.”
Here is how you can engage your colleague with Dialogue:
1. We are all committed to the mission. Maintain a respectful and collegial tone at all times. Start your meeting by acknowledging the mission commitment: “We all want is best for the organization – we just have different ideas of how to do that. I know that you and the others have that commitment.”
2. Signal a desire to learn. Let them know that you are sincerely interested in their perspective. “I want to make sure I get where you are coming from. Help me better understand your viewpoint.”
3. Acknowledge the other side. Once your colleague shares, then try to restate the viewpoint and test to see if you understand. “Do I have that right?”
4. Find common ground. Try to find something – anything, that you can agree on. Build from that. Keep in mind, you may need to set both of your ideas aside and invent a completely new direction together. “Maybe there is a third way we can invent together that we will both find satisfactory?”
5. Commit to creating a collaborative solution. This will probably take more than one meeting. Thank your colleague for their time. Commit to continuing to meet until a satisfactory solution is found.
While none of these ideas will create a magical solution for your team, it is a solid roadmap to follow that can build trust and increase the odds that you will create a solution – and maintain good relations with all team members.
Of course, it would be refreshing if people could use this same formula in the public square. We absolutely need less yelling at one another and more collaboration. We all really do have the same mission.
*Ideas for this blog taken from: Collins, H. K. & Yeomans, M. “A Smarter Way to Disagree,” Harvard Business Review, November-December, 2025.
