Better Decisions Start with Listening

The Conversation article “Even experts disagree over whether social media is bad for kids - we examined why” breaks down the reasons experts often find themselves at odds. It points to differences in interpretation, values, research methods, and the ever-present challenge of uncertainty. While the piece is about academic disagreement, its insights apply just as well in the workplace.

Organisations, unlike academic circles, are built with hierarchies meant to streamline decisions. There's a boss, a team, a set of goals - on paper, it should be simple. But disagreements persist, sometimes more frustratingly so. Why?

Often, it comes down to the same issues experts face: people don’t always recognise what they don’t know. A colleague might interpret a situation through the lens of personal experience or partial information and treat it as equal to a more informed view. From the outside, it looks like a difference of opinion. But it isn’t always. Sometimes it’s a gap in knowledge. The word "nuance" often gets thrown around in these moments, used to flatten or defer the conversation - as if all perspectives are equally complex or valid. But not everything is nuanced; sometimes, one view is simply better informed.

This is particularly tough when someone in the room is the expert, but their input is flattened by group dynamics, power structures, or a culture that treats all perspectives as equally valid, regardless of substance. The frustrating result is that expertise gets sidelined under the guise of "different views" or "healthy debate" when, in fact, it could be a matter of basic facts being overlooked.

And while hierarchy should, in theory, help resolve these tensions - by allowing decisions to be made when consensus can’t be reached - it often doesn’t. That’s because hierarchy isn’t always aligned with expertise. The person with the power to decide isn’t always the one who knows most about the issue.

So what do you do? It helps to recognise that not all disagreements are created equal. Listening matters, of course, and asking great questions. So does creating space for open discussion and team alignment. But beyond that, it means giving real weight to the person who knows their stuff - even if what they’re saying isn’t the most convenient or popular take.

Because sometimes, it really isn’t a matter of opinion.

The Conversation Even experts disagree over whether social media is bad for kids. We examined why