Recently, Meta's top technology leader, Andrew Bosworth, told his team members they had two choices: either leave the company or "disagree and commit." This phrase became well-known because of Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.
While Bosworth used these words to give Meta employees a clear choice about new company rules, Bezos has explained it as an important way to lead teams.
When Bezos was Amazon's CEO, he wrote about this leadership principle in his 2016 letter to shareholders. He explained how "disagree and commit" could help teams make decisions faster.
"Sometimes, you strongly believe in something even when others don't agree. In such cases, it's good to say, 'I know we see this differently, but would you trust me and try this? Can we disagree and commit?'" Bezos explained.
"At this stage, no one can be completely sure what will happen, and people usually say yes quickly," he continued.
He said leaders should also follow this principle. Bezos shared a story about approving an Amazon Studios project despite his doubts. His team was excited about it and wanted to proceed.
"I immediately replied, 'I disagree and commit, and I hope this becomes our most successful show ever,'" Bezos shared. He noted that if the team had tried to change his mind, it would have taken much longer to make a decision.
Grove in 2000. Anne Knudsen/Getty Images / BI
A valuable principle similar to former Intel CEO Andy Grove's leadership style
A valuable principle similar to former Intel CEO Andy Grove's leadership style. Grove, who survived Nazi-occupied Hungary and passed away in 2016 at age 79, was known for his strong leadership and clear vision.
Richard S. Tedlow, who wrote Grove's life story, told Business Insider that while people often found it challenging to agree with Grove, the principle of disagreeing and committing was central to how he wanted people to work at Intel.
"Disagree and then commit was a philosophy that you fight like cats and dogs, but once the decision is made, everybody's pulling in the same direction," Tedlow said.
While Tedlow wasn't certain if Grove created this phrase, he confirmed it perfectly described how things worked at Intel during Grove's leadership.
Christopher Myers, who teaches about leadership at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, shared a helpful example. He talked about how the "disagree and commit" leadership principle works well when a CEO follows the advice of an employee who better understands a problem.
In a recent talk with Lex Fridman in 2024, Bezos explained this idea further. He mentioned that companies usually have a structure where the CEO makes the final decision. Even if the CEO doesn't fully agree, Bezos believes it's better to commit to a decision than to make compromises or let the most stubborn person win.
"The advantage of compromise as a resolution mechanism is that it's low energy, but it doesn't lead to truth," Bezos said, adding that "you shouldn't allow compromise to be used when you can know the truth."
Andy Jassy, who now leads Amazon, has embraced this principle, which is now part of Amazon's core leadership values on their website.
Recently, the idea has changed slightly to "disagree and commit — or leave." During a company meeting in 2023 about working from the office, Jassy told employees they needed to "disagree and commit," warning that those who didn't might need to find other opportunities.
Bosworth at Meta took a similar approach when responding to employee comments. He said, "If you don't agree with the changes Mark explained, you have two choices: you can leave or disagree and commit."
Myers points out that when used properly, the disagree-and-commit principle helps organizations understand that having different opinions can lead to better results. This approach encourages healthy discussions while ensuring teams move forward together after decisions are made.
TAGS: #LeadershipPhilosophy #DisagreeAndCommit #JeffBezos #SiliconValleyTrends #BusinessDecisionMaking #CorporateCulture #AmazonStrategy
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PS: The content of this article is sourced from Business Insider. However, the vocabulary has been adjusted to a B2 level to make it more accessible for international learners. For the original article, please refer to the Business Insider website.
Source: Business Insider Feb 15, 2025 https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-disagree-and-commit-management-philosophy-intel-andy-grove-2025-2
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