Susan Drumm explains why teams without conflict underperform: they hide blind spots and miss problems. She uses the Enneagram to map thinking styles and shows how leaders can invite disagreement, assign a devil's advocate, and model gratitude when criticized so different voices actually speak up.
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You know that team meeting where everyone nods and smiles and says yes? I think so too. And then the leader wraps up with so we're all in agreement and the whole room cheers yes. Sounds nice, right? It's smooth, it's efficient, there's zero drama. Except that's not actually a sign of a high performing team. It's a sign you're leaving your best ideas and maybe your best results on the table. Here's the truth. If your team never disagrees, you don't have a high functioning team. You a conflict avoiding team. And that's a problem. I learned this the hard way in my career. I was leading a big initiative. Our meetings, well, were civil. Too civil. Everyone agreed on everything. And I thought, wow, this is leadership heaven. Until we launched. And that's when we discovered all the holes, the things that no one had spoken up about because no one wanted to rock the boat. And we paid for it in lost time, in missed details and a whole lot of rework. That's when I realized it's not just okay for teams to have conflict, it's necessary. But it's the right kind of conflict. The kind that comes from cognitive diversity. Cognitive diversity is just a fancy way of saying we think differently, we problem solve differently, and we see the world differently. In enneagram terms, it means you've got more than one leadership style type in the room. You've got a big picture challenger, your creative idea generator, your detail obsessed reformer, your loyal skeptic who catches risks before they blow up, and your peacemaker who keeps the whole thing from exploding. Now does that make meetings more fun? Not necessarily. But does it make your products, decisions and results better every single time? Let me paint you a picture. Imagine your company is launching a new service. Here's how that meeting goes. When you've got real cognitive diversity. The Type 8 is laying out the vision and barking orders. The Type 7 interrupts with a flash mob marketing idea. And the type 6. Well, here are seven ways that that could fail. The type 1 is waving a printout saying there's a typo on page three. The type three wants to make sure the launch makes us look like the industry leader. And the type 9 is quietly diffusing tension before chairs start flying. Now does this sound chaotic? Yes. But here's the magic. The six saves you from a costly mistake. The one saves you thousands in reprinting. And the three ensures you shine in the market. And the nine keeps the meeting from turning into a cage match. Without that mix of thinking styles, you could end up with blind spots. And you make your decisions from one angle. And that's when trouble and missed opportunity slips through. The problem is a lot of leaders hire in their own image. If you're a high energy visionary, you might end up with five other visionaries who get excited right along with you. But no one's asking the tough questions or spotting the cracks. That's like a football team made up of entirely running backs. I'm a Steelers fan, so trust me, that's not how you win championships. You need a whole roster, every position, doing what they do best. Now here's the kicker, pun intended. Just putting different thinkers in the same room isn't enough. Because if you don't have psychological safety, those voices won't speak up. The ideas, the critiques, they stay locked in their heads. And that's where your leadership comes in. It's your job to make it safe to disagree, invite challenge, expect different viewpoints, even assign a devil's advocate in a meeting to make sure those tough questions get asked. And when someone points out a flaw in your brilliant idea, say thank you. That's not dissent, it's protection. It's how you get better. Now, if you're thinking, okay, Susan, I get the concept, but what do I do with it? Here's where the enneagram comes in as a growth map. First, know your own type and how you naturally lead. And then second, map your team who's missing? Do you have too many drivers and not enough detail checkers? Maybe too many peacemakers and no one to push the pace, fill the gaps with intention and then learn how to stretch beyond your type. As a type 7 myself, my growth path involves leaning into structure and discipline of a type 1 and the risk awareness of a type 6. It's not always comfortable, but it's made me a better leader and my team stronger. Here's the bottom line. A conflict free team might feel good in the moment, but it's a trap. Healthy disagreement isn't a threat. It's the raw material for your best ideas. When you build cognitive diversity and make it safe for people to speak up, you get sharper thinking, better decisions, and a whole lot fewer costly mistakes. So the next time you're in a meeting and someone challenges your plan, don't shut it down. Lean in. That's not conflict to avoid, it's the sound of your team getting smarter. I'm Susan Drumm, CEO, advisor and executive coach and author of the Leaders Playlist. If you're ready to grow your leadership from the inside out, you're in the right place. Hit subscribe. Let's get started.
