Why High-Performing Teams Struggle to Disagree (And What to Do About It)

It’s easy to assume that the hallmark of a high-performing team is harmony. That when things are going well, conflict is rare, everyone is aligned, and collaboration flows smoothly.

But here’s a leadership paradox I’ve encountered time and again: even the most effective, cohesive, and results-driven teams often struggle with one critical skill—the ability to disagree.

It’s not that high-performing teams never encounter differing views. Quite the opposite. They are often filled with talented, diverse thinkers who bring varied perspectives. The challenge isn’t lack of disagreement—it’s the inability, or reluctance, to express it.

And that, if left unaddressed, can silently erode the very foundations of their performance.

A team working in harmony and a lady who, for some reason has three legs

When a team performs at a high level, they often build deep trust, mutual respect, and a strong sense of psychological safety. They like each other. They care. And they take pride in being a cohesive unit. Ironically, this very closeness can make disagreement feel risky. No one wants to be the one who breaks the rhythm, disrupts the flow, or makes a teammate feel challenged. Disagreement can feel personal, even when it's not intended that way.

In high-performing environments, the unspoken rule can become: “We don’t rock the boat.” This can lead to artificial harmony—where politeness masks honest debate, and teams avoid the creative friction that leads to real innovation.

Constructive disagreement is not a sign of dysfunction—it’s a hallmark of maturity. It’s how new ideas are forged, risks are managed, and blind spots are surfaced.

Teams that avoid disagreement can:

• Miss early warning signs. Important concerns may go unvoiced until they become critical issues.

• Overlook better solutions. Consensus thinking can lead to complacency or groupthink.

• Underutilise team strengths. When people hold back their views, the team misses out on their full contribution.

In the words of Patrick Lencioni, author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, the absence of conflict is not harmony—it’s apathy. Healthy conflict, on the other hand, is a powerful engine of growth.

Many teams don’t shy away from disagreement because they lack courage—they do it because of culture.

Sometimes it’s the organisational culture: disagreement has historically been punished, or seen as a sign of disloyalty.

Other times, it’s the team’s microculture: perhaps the team leader inadvertently discourages dissent by always having the last word, or a few dominant voices drown out others.

And sometimes, it’s about personal identity: high performers often see themselves as collaborators, problem-solvers, peacekeepers. Raising disagreement feels like a challenge to that identity.

Understanding these dynamics is the first step in shifting them.

Healthy disagreement isn’t about arguing or winning—it’s about surfacing diverse thinking in service of a better outcome.

It sounds like:

• “I see this differently—can I offer another angle?”

• “I’m curious about why we’re choosing this path. What are the risks we might be missing?”

• “This may be uncomfortable to raise, but I think it’s important.”

It’s respectful, curious, and focused on the idea—not the person.

Teams that do this well have built not just psychological safety, but psychological flexibility—the ability to hold multiple perspectives, and explore tension productively.

So how can you help your team build this critical capability—especially if they’re already high-performing?

Here are five practical shifts that can make a big difference:

1. Normalise the Need for Conflict

Start by naming the issue. Share the paradox with your team: “Because we work so well together, it’s easy to avoid disagreement—but we need healthy conflict to grow.”

Use team meetings or retrospectives to reflect on how often disagreement is surfaced. Ask: “When was the last time we had a strong difference of opinion? What happened?”

By openly discussing the need for challenge, you create a shared understanding that it’s not just allowed—it’s expected.

2. Create Structures for Dissent

Sometimes people don’t speak up simply because there’s no space to do so.

Try building disagreement into your process. For example:

• In decision-making sessions, assign someone the role of “devil’s advocate.”

• Use a “Red Team” approach—where a subset of the team tries to poke holes in a proposed plan. or de Bono's 6 Thinking Hats where people deliberately embody different perspectives to challenge

• Invite everyone to share “one risk we might be underestimating” before moving forward.

These structures signal that dissent isn’t just accepted—it’s valued.

3. Model Curiosity, Not Certainty

As a leader or team member, how you respond to challenge matters deeply.

When someone disagrees with you, do you listen—really listen—or do you defend your point?

Replace defensiveness with curiosity. Ask: “What makes you say that?” or “Help me understand your thinking.”

And when you’re the one offering a different view, frame it as a contribution, not a contradiction: “Can I offer another perspective that might help us sharpen this?”

4. Celebrate Courage Over Consensus

Reward the act of speaking up—not just the outcome.

When someone raises a tough issue or challenges the group’s thinking, acknowledge it: “I appreciate you raising that—it took courage, and it helped us think more deeply.”

This signals that disagreement is a contribution to team health—not a disruption of it.

5. Reinforce That Disagreement ≠ Disrespect

Make it explicit: “In this team, we separate people from ideas. Challenging a view is not a personal attack.”

When you see people doing this well—disagreeing respectfully—call it out. It builds confidence and reinforces the standard. Over time, the team starts to internalise that tension isn’t dangerous—it’s part of how we get better.

In leadership, we often celebrate alignment, collaboration, and shared purpose—and rightly so. But we must not lose sight of the power of constructive disagreement.

It takes courage to speak up in a room full of high performers. It takes humility to listen when your ideas are challenged. And it takes trust to believe that disagreement won’t derail the team, but make it stronger.

As a leader, your role is to make space for this. Not just by saying it’s okay to disagree—but by helping your team develop the muscles to do it well. Because the goal isn’t harmony at all costs. The goal is progress—with every voice in the room contributing fully.

If this sparked something for you or your team, get in touch. Supporting teams to build courageous, high-trust cultures is what I love to do and I'd love to help!