Dissent is a powerful business tool, especially within an organization that encourages healthy debate and innovation. Active disagreement among high-ranking executives is a sign of a healthy, productive company. Passionate debate is a hallmark of successful teams.

Sound contradictory? Not at all. In fact, in addition to the evidence and research that directly links companies that foster dissent in decision-making with success, there's plenty of research and evidence demonstrating that companies and executive teams that don't engage in healthy debate are in fact hurting the companies they're trying to protect and grow.

Garry Emmons wrote about this in the latest issue of Harvard Business School's Working Knowledge newsletter. Executive teams that don't trust each other, or simply don't respect one another, will particularly struggle with this.

But teams, and in particular chief executives, that encourage and reward such cultures will notice greater innovation, smarter real-time business decisions, and happier employees.

Read more here.