Disagreeing without Division: What the Best Boards Get Right

Spend enough time around boards, and you begin to hear a familiar phrase: "We want harmony." On the surface, this sounds entirely reasonable. Who would proactively argue for conflict in the boardroom?

However, in practice, what many chairs and directors mean by harmony is the absence of visible disagreement.

And that, in our experience, is where the problem often begins. Because a lack of disagreement is rarely a sign that everything is working well. More likely, it signals hesitation, disengagement or a quiet reluctance to speak up.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Boardroom.