In business as in government, democracy helps us to harness disagreement and conflict for productive ends.
The UK is a liberal democracy. Classical liberals have a fundamental belief that there never really was or will be true social harmony. So, the political system is designed not to eliminate but to artfully contain disagreement and conflict – and to harness it for useful and productive ends where possible.
Of course, even the most dedicated defenders of democracy will be able to see its downsides. As Winston Churchill observed: “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”
This is no less true at work, of course. Colleagues can be very irritating. They stubbornly hold contrary opinions and often put forward the most outlandish views. It can be deeply dispiriting.
However, at its core, democracy is a system of government for people who aren’t certain that they’re right. If we were certain, there would be no need for a vote, let alone a discussion after all.
But making room for conversation, change and growth is as important at work as it is in politics. We all need to open ourselves up to the fact that (very occasionally of course) we might not be completely right about something and may well need the humility to admit that we have the headroom to learn something new.
If we are to have more of those kinds of enlightening moments, in work, in politics, and in life, we need to create a psychologically safe environment where we can hold difficult and challenging conversations in a spirit of openness, tolerance and mutual respect.