I would slightly adjust the reasoning. It is not to reduce ambiguity. It is to drive progress despite ambiguity. Is why the "consensus" principal is the most frustrating for many people. Consensus is not a goal, in itself. Not ignoring dissent, though, is. Make sure you know the criticisms, but don't wait until you have them all fully addressed. (Is why "bias for action" is a thing...)
> I would slightly adjust the reasoning. It is not to reduce ambiguity. It is to drive progress despite ambiguity. Is why the "consensus" principal is the most frustrating for many people.
Not true. The whole leadership principles thing is designed to not require or expect any form of consensus. What you are expected to do is act, and be accountable for your own actions. The whole "disagree and commit" leadership principle is specially relevant to manage push back. Everyone is expected to do what's best, but regardless of whether there's consensus pushing one way or the other, once a call is made you're expected to fall in line and work towards a goal.
It the call was the right one or not, that's something to discuss during performance evaluation talks, because leaders are right, a lot. If you're not right a lot, or where it mattered, you might very well be promoted to customer.
Right, I shouldn't have used the word "consensus." I certainly saw this more than makes sense while there, though. Some teams do not make progress as long as there are critical elements out there.
I would not say you are expected to "fall in line," though. I would reword that that you are expected to do your part as well as you can. If the line is to fall, the reason for it falling should be neither a complete surprise, nor a result of you not working hard. Stated differently, don't keep concerns hidden, but also don't let your concerns prevent you from working hard.
Apologies, I don't have them in front of me anymore and should have just looked them up again.
It wasn't consensus, but a lot of people took the disagree and commit one as a "you have to get commitment from the room." My read was it was your responsibility to commit in the room, not to get commitment. Make sure any failure is facts of your disagreement, if you have one. Not your lack of effort because you did disagree.
