Navigating Disagreement with Openness: Building Healthy Dialogue

Consider the following scenario:

Sarah is a newly appointed assistant director working in film production. During a busy shoot day, she has a disagreement with a crew member about how an extra shot should be scheduled in order to stay on timeline and meet production deadlines. The exchange feels tense and afterward, Sarah notices a shift in the atmosphere on set. Communication feels strained, and some team members seem disengaged and somewhat withdrawn.

From the crew’s perspective, Sarah may have come across as rigid and dismissive of their concerns about workload and timing. From Sarah’s point of view, she was trying to keep the day on track by adhering to the agreed-upon schedule, and production priorities. With limited time, competing with creative demands, and constantly shifting plans, these kinds of moments are common in art and entertainment environments – and they can escalate quickly if not handled with care.

According to author Daniel Coyle, the first moment of disagreement, pushback, or vulnerability (e.g. openly sharing uncertainty, asking for help, signaling for communal support) is a critical moment in a group’s culture. How leaders respond in these moments can either shut down engagement or create an opportunity to build trust, openness, and psychological safety.

As a leader, Sarah believes it is her responsibility to uphold policies and agreed upon schedules, so expectations are clear, and the day runs smoothly. She wants to maintain accountability while keeping the production on track amid tight timelines and competing demands. As a leader, Sarah understands it is her responsibility to prioritize the overall production—balancing time, money, and personnel to ensure the show opens as planned. From that perspective, maintaining the schedule is essential.

From the crew’s point of view, being trusted as experts, feeling heard, and having enough space to do quality work mattered more in that moment than strict adherence to the clock. Both points of view are valid.

In this situation, disagreement and potential vulnerability happened in the same instance. However, in workplaces vulnerabilities can show up in multiple different ways, such as:

How leaders respond to these concerns can really help to build trust and a sense of care in environments where there are many factors at play.

Below are three practical ways that leaders in arts and entertainment can navigate these moments while being considerate of psychological safety.

Active listening helps slow things down when things may feel tense or high-pressure. Taking the time to hear the concerns of people you work with can signal respect and awareness.

In creative environments, disagreements can feel more personal as many people involved are deeply passionate about the work they do. The good part about this is that many are also rooted in shared values.

In the scenario explored earlier, Sarah initially framed the issue as a scheduling problem and the response as resistance. Approached through the OARS framework, Sarah might discover that both her and the creative team value:

In fast-moving workplaces, leaders often feel pressure to resolve issues immediately. This is an understandable motivation; however, collaboration often leads to more effective outcomes.. Acknowledging the value of collaboration does not dismiss the importance of adhering to schedules and budgets, nor does it promote superficial “feel-good” management. Even brief moments of collaboration can lead to more thoughtful resolutions that allow different yet relevant perspectives to inform the decision.

When disagreements surface at work, particularly when interests appear to be in opposition, Sarah can invite quick input on potential solutions by asking the team what would help them feel more supported.

By incorporating short, focused check-ins and reflecting back what she hears before moving forward, Sarah can maintain momentum while still acknowledging different perspectives. This approach demonstrates that people’s voices are heard even when decisions must be made quickly, reinforcing trust and respect. These small but intentional moments are essential to fostering psychological safety.

These situations can create valuable opportunities to build trust, teamwork, and clear communication across any workplace – not just in arts and entertainment sectors. In creative industries and beyond, the way leaders respond to conflict help shape the culture of the environment. When leaders respond with empathy and openness, they create a space where people feel safe to speak up, share concerns, and do their best work. This kind of culture matters on set, backstage, in rehearsal rooms, at venues, and in any workplace.