324: How to Respectfully Disagree with Your Co-Workers with Justin Jones-Fosu

Have you ever found yourself nodding in agreement during a meeting while silently thinking, “This will never work.”? You’re not alone.

Too often, we hold back in disagreement, fearing conflict, which only leads to frustration down the line. But managing conflict is a crucial skill for both managers and employees. Today’s guest is here to teach us how to respectfully disagree with your co-workers.

Meet Justin Jones-Fosu. At the helm of Work. Meaningful. Justin is the driving force and CEO behind a movement that empowers organizations across the globe, delivering over 50 keynote addresses a year on the pivotal topics of meaningful work and inclusion. His mission is to ignite a transformation in corporate culture, guiding organizations and individuals to ascend to their peak potential through mastery of mindset, purpose, and performance.

Justin and I talk about strategies for handling disagreements at work respectfully and productively–without compromising relationships.

He shares the “Power of Three,” a technique that digs deep into conversations, ensuring both sides feel heard. Plus, we explore how practicing respectful disagreement can actually lead to better ideas, more innovation, stronger teams, and more.

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Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction
• (01:56) Disrespectful agreement vs. respectful disagreement
• (04:14) Using the Power of Three in workplace conflict resolution
• (07:49) How the Power of Three works in real-life 
• (11:27) Agree to disagree isn’t always the answer
• (14:16) How to provide feedback and differing views without hurting relationships
• (24:38) Getting team members to support decisions they didn’t agree with
• (28:02) A great manager Justin has worked for
• (36:27) [Extended Episode Only] How to proactively approach conflict using the 5 pillars model

Additional Resources:

- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community for just $15 per month

- Read the full transcript here

- Follow me on Instagram here 

- Visit my website for more here

- Upskill your team here

- Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here

Keep up with Justin Jones-Fosu

- Follow Justin on LinkedIn here

- Grab a copy of Justin’s book here

- Check out his website for more information here

- Check out Justin’s book recommendation - Dialogue: The Art Of Thinking Together here

FREE PDF: Tips for the Modern Manager to Respectfully Disagree

Justin is providing members of Podcast+ with a free PDF that includes Tips for the Modern Manager to Respectfully Disagree. In this 20-page PDF, you will find a series of 10 Quick Tips from Work Meaningful for individuals, leaders, and those navigating the political divide.

To get this guest bonus and many other member benefits, become a member of The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.

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