http://www.cnn.com/2011/BUSINESS/08/16/money.and.meanness/index.html?&hpt...
Great! This doesn't bode well for a guy who's regularly told, "You're such a nice guy." While I tend to agree, I paid close attention to this statement in the article:
"A company full of people in agreement would have a hard time establishing or maintaining any kind of hierarchy," he said. "Someone has to differentiate themselves from the pack, and being 'disagreeable' seems like a way to accomplish that. I don't think it's fair to associate disagreeableness with meanness, though."
In other words, you can disagree in a nice way, at least, in a professional and cordial manner.
Groupthink is rarely good. There should be some disagreement. Thing is, some bosses like agreeable people. They want everyone to agree with them. When that happens, nothing new or different ever happens. You have to choose your battles wisely and make sure you know your bosses style. Disagreement can get you ahead, but it can also mark you as a troublemaker and get you fired. You want to find a balance. You don’t ALWAYS want to be the one who disagrees.
You want to disagree when it truly matters to the company. When your understanding of/passion for the enterprise's mission makes you question decisions being suggested or made, speak up. Also look at those around the table. Do you see signs that others may feel as you do? You may be able to ally yourself with people who will disagree with you, so you aren’t the only person making a stand. If it’s important enough, there are even cases when you go around your boss with your disagreement. This can be workplace suicide but if it works, you can get noticed by others and move ahead of a boss who may be holding you back.
It’s a battlefield out there, my friends. But you can kill with kindness when done right.
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