What Are You Chasing?
Grace Gavin
The difference between cohesion and agreement might seem minor, but it is transformational when applied to teams. Unfortunately, we often confuse the two. Teams end up chasing agreement, wasting efforts, and squandering productivity when what they really need is cohesion. Let’s clarify the difference:
Agreement - harmony or accordance in opinion or feeling; a position or result of agreeing.
In other words, agreement is when the team shares the same opinions and feelings on any single topic. If they are not all in agreement, they will attempt to persuade each other to their respective sides, leading to politicking. Often, the loudest voice or highest level of leadership will “convince” the others to share their opinion. Some may fake agreement to keep moving forward, while secretly undermining the decision with their actions and comments. Total agreement within a team is unlikely due to differing perspectives. But the question remains, how do they move forward together?
That leads us to cohesion:
Cohesion - the action or fact of forming a united whole.
Note the difference in definitions. With cohesion, the expectation is not harmony but unity. Cohesion means that even with different opinions, team members will align towards common goals. It’s about creating an environment where diverse perspectives are heard and valued because the team is open and honest.
When a team is cohesive, members are committed to the group’s objectives and willing to work together despite their individual differences. There will be disagreement, but once a decision is reached, everyone understands and supports the chosen direction. Cohesion allows for healthy debate, encouraging innovative ideas and solutions to move forward united.
What we’re after is cohesion, not agreement. Leaders must cultivate cohesion by promoting open and honest communication to build trust and foster collaboration. It’s essential to create a culture where team members can express their views without fear of retribution. This psychological safety enables true cohesion, as team members know their voices are respected.
Striving for cohesion rather than agreement is what truly transforms teams.
It unlocks greater creativity, gets to the root of issues, solves them efficiently, and produces real commitment. Remember, a cohesive team doesn’t need to agree on everything, but it does need to move forward together as a united whole. As leaders, our role is to guide our teams toward this unity, harnessing the power of open and honest communication to achieve lasting success.
