Provocative ideas are critical to discovering truths that consensus won't find.
The reason Facebook (and many successful tech companies) is successful is because they relentlessly experiment and iterate, killing off ideas that don't gain traction while embracing those that do. Often times the ideas that do get traction are unexpected, but revealed because of a culture that allows any idea to be thrown into the dialogue.
If you can't say something provocative without fear of it later coming back to haunt you, folks will be less likely to raise uncomfortable, or non-consensus, ideas. This will lead to less innovation. It's also okay if it's wrong. And if it is wrong, folks should be willing to push back. That's how a high-functioning, ideas driven organizations thrives.
The reason Facebook (and many successful tech companies) is successful is because they relentlessly experiment and iterate, killing off ideas that don't gain traction while embracing those that do. Often times the ideas that do get traction are unexpected, but revealed because of a culture that allows any idea to be thrown into the dialogue.
If you can't say something provocative without fear of it later coming back to haunt you, folks will be less likely to raise uncomfortable, or non-consensus, ideas. This will lead to less innovation. It's also okay if it's wrong. And if it is wrong, folks should be willing to push back. That's how a high-functioning, ideas driven organizations thrives.