EP 160 ROCKING THE BOAT BEFORE IT CAPSIZES
How many boring, staff meetings have you attended where everyone goes along to get along? It’s probably a countless number. Or one where the brave soul opens with ‘just to play devil’s advocate’ and in the process jettisons his own case. There is some incredible research to demonstrate that one outlier, one dissenter, can change the entire dynamic of a group–even if their argument itself doesn’t win the day. Psychologist, Charlan Nemeth, in her new book, ‘In Defense of Troublemakers’ writes about the value of dissent in group decision-making and how rare it is, even in groups that have been assembled in the hopes of honoring various aspects of diversity. It’s a compelling read and she breaks it down for us on this episode of ‘America Trends’. As an old radio pioneer used to say ‘your opinion counts, use it’.
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