Business Commons^™

The Importance Of Disagreements, Andrew P. Johnson

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

Disagreements are good. Differing points of view are healthy for any organization or group. Conflicting ideas provide a broader view of situations and more potential possibilities. You see more sides of the problem and generate more potential solutions. Questioning new ideas or proposals allows them to be fully vetted. This is how programs, policies, schools, institutions, and teacher preparation programs grow and evolve.

Embracing a variety of ideas, philosophies, and viewpoints has always been healthy for any organization or institution. Repressing conflicting ideas, allowing only a single viewpoint has always led to extremely unhealthy situations. Sadly, idea repression occurs too …