Th e A r t of

Disagreeing
How to Communicate Conflicting
Opinions to Your Superior
 Picture this:

Your manager initiates

a new
project, and your gut in
stinct says
it’s destined to fail.

But how do you disagr

ee with
someone who has mo
re power than
you? Is speaking up a
bold move or
just a recipe for disast
er ?
 Weigh your o
1. ptions

You might be afraid of what could

happen if you go against your superior.

But consider the risks of not speaking

up: derailed projects, missed KPIs,
or even low team morale.

Weigh those against the

potential benefits of
taking action.
2.
Identify
a sh a re d g oa l

Take into account your supervisor's

priorities, like their team's reputation
or meeting project deadlines.

You'll increase your chances of

being listened to by aligning your
disagreement with a common
purpose.
 Avoid su b j e ct i ve
3.
judgment

Stay away from phrases that come

across as judgmental, such as
“short-sighted” or “naive”.

Be objective with your argument.

Highlight previous similar cases
that the team can learn from.
4.
Stay
Humble

Assert your position,

without proposing your opinion
as an absolute truth.

Be genuinely open to hear other

opinions and keep open room for
dialogue.
 Ackn ow l e d g e
5. their authority

Ultimately, your superior will most

likely have the final say.

Acknowledge this without

backtracking on your position, and
remind them that they have options
to choose from.
Do’s
Consider the benefits of
being vocal
Be objective in your opinion
Align your argument to a shared goal

Dont’s
Assume disagreeing will
damage relationships
State your opinion as fact
Use judgmental adjectives
Voicing disagreement to your
higher-ups can seem tricky.

But when done right, you help

the team steer away from
challenging scenarios.

How do you speak up

effectively to your superiors?