The power of disagreement

In a recent interview I was asked if I often had disagreements with my coworkers. Being lost in translations, and wanting to give the impression of someone with whom everyone gets along, I naively replied that I never had any arguments with my peers. My interviewer didn’t elaborate on the question, but oh mistake, fifteen minutes after the interview was finished, I realised how wrong I had been giving this answer.

Disagreements with peers is an essential part of a solution development process, especially in the context of software development. It is characterised by the elaboration of different solutions for a given problem, and each solution becomes subject to conflicting opinions outlining its pros and cons. It leads to an optimal solution, and ultimately develops each party’s understanding of their working context.

A primary advantage of disagreement is that it generates multiple...