Beyond Dissent and Dissenters

Prologue

The distraught CEO informs the chairman that the lady entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the mega event is insisting on chucking out the time-tested canvas and experimenting with an entirely new roll out. The gravity of the situation is accentuated by her insistence on adopting a line, visibly very contrary to the views held by the establishment. The CEO is convinced that if this attempt at questioning authority is allowed to pass, it could open the flood gates for dissent across the board, lead to erosion of authority, weaken controls, adversely affect organisational efficiency and jeopardise the very existence of the organisation.

The CEO seeks intervention of the Chairman to ensure continued conformity. She also informs the chairman that she has already identified someone willing and conforming. 

Visionaries and Dissenters

Customs, practices and policies evolve as organisations grow. In the course of evolution, organisational practices gradually and inevitably assume sanctity. Questioning such practices could have different responses depending on who questions it. With all respects and no malice whatsoever to visionaries, when the top man questions or changes established practices, however mundane or inconsequential, he is hailed a visionary. However, if established practices are questioned by someone down the ladder, he risks being branded a dissenter to be appropriately dealt with. Although dissent is the natural spring from where creativity originates, it is often unfairly branded obstructive and detrimental to organisational health. The silent majority in conformity, though only seemingly, is regarded loyal. Mega-corporate entities have been consigned to pages of history because most of those within willingly conformed and very few dared to really care.

Avoiding the Rough and Ensuring Smooth Sail

Experts somehow have come to believe that success in management is about ensuring smooth sails and avoiding the ‘roughs’. Internal ‘Roughs’ normally originate from dissent in the ranks. One can find enough literature on various types of dissent, how to prevent it, spot it at conception, classify it as it emerges and despite all that effort, if it still raises its ugly head, how to nip it in the bud or control it. Dissent with reference to working conditions, it is widely accepted, if mismanaged leads to conflicts precipitating situations for collective bargaining at great costs to the organisation.

At managerial levels, dissent need not always seed conflict. It could also be a catalyst to organisational growth. In most organisations where difference of opinion with superiors is anathema, one is expected to voice ‘differences’ only in private with the superior concerned. Airing dissent in public is considered insolence and disrespectful. If private discussions to iron out differences do materialise, probability of it being honestly objective is bleak. When organisational culture turns hostile to differing opinions, exodus of fertile minds becomes the norm. 

Who Embodies an Organisation

Proprietorship aside, organisations are ideas manifested. Brick and mortar, process and people are all physical manifestations of business ideas. Since macro policies originate naturally from strategic vision at the top, ideas originating there and flowing down find better traction and easier acceptance than those crawling up from the bottom against organisational gravity. This is why it is possible for men at the top to effortlessly intervene, efficiently steer organisations, successfully drive diversification and venture into new pastures. Top-down ideas easily find faithful multitudes below. But it could also result in the individual enslaving ideas that represent an organisation. Under such circumstances dissent is likely to be construed as questioning the wisdom of the chair and therefore termed obstructionist.

If the rank and file is clear on what truly embodies the organisation, difference of opinion would normally be converged towards achieving organisational betterment.  For this, an institutional mechanism has to be instituted. Managerial dissent expressed freely and institutionally helps highlight incoherence in converting macros to micros. Stifled dissent condemns organisations to stunted growth.

Dissent Release Mechanism

Incorporating a system to hear and address dissent within the organisation is akin to efficient pressure release valves on a pressure line. Besides giving vent to dissent, it also rids the system of malicious grapevine and helps establish healthy two-way communication in the hierarchy. Organisations that institutionally channelise and allow expressions of dissent without apprehensions of being hounded stand to reap long term benefits.

Regardless of this opportunity being given or denied there would be individuals in any organisation attempting to hijack constructive freedom of expression towards insolence and obstructions. There are many ways to handle them. But built-in opportunities to express dissent allow those who mean well for the organisation to contribute, even if it is by differing in opinions.

Customization

One of the first questions that could come up would center around how such a system should be designed and implemented. There can be no universal instrument that can be prescribed or adopted. Each organisation, depending its field of operations would have to tailor a system for itself. The instrument would have to be dynamically evolved to suit the organisations future and contemporary needs. What would be required for it to succeed, irrespective of the type of organisation, is the readiness of those higher on the ladder to listen to what is being said, why it is being said and often ignore how it is said. The intent must receive overriding consideration over the language.

Epilogue

The chairman had a meeting with the individual and the CEO.  The discussion revealed that the lady was committed to the organisation and wanted to make the event uniquely contemporary. The chairman gave the go-ahead. The event became a success like never before.

It is now an eagerly awaited annual fixture, characterised by innovative original ideas. 

The lady moved on to higher pedestals, the CEO continues to lead the organisation to growth.

The chairman, since retired, spends time penning articles like this.