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Why Healthy Disagreement Fuels Innovation, According to Steve Stoute

Conflict in the workplace often gets a bad reputation. But according to Steve Stoute — a 54-year-old marketing executive and entrepreneur whose client list includes Jay-Z, McDonald’s, the New York Knicks, and Google’s Chief Marketing Officer Lorraine Twohill — healthy conflict isn’t just necessary. It’s foundational for a thriving, forward-moving company.

In a candid interview with The New York Times, Stoute shared his philosophy: “If there’s no conflict in your company, something’s wrong.” For him, avoiding tension is far riskier than facing it. “Getting people comfortable around challenge in a respectful way is a very important value,” he said. “What I’m trying to do is have people embrace the idea that it’s OK to disagree.”

Making Conflict a Normal Part of Company Culture

In today’s hybrid and remote work landscape, disagreement can be easy to avoid. Stoute points to video conferencing platforms like Zoom, which often suppress direct communication. To counter this, he talks about conflict as openly and routinely as he does salaries, benefits, wins, and losses.

“The same way I talk about bonuses or health care or wins or losses, we talk about conflict,” he emphasized.

According to Stoute, a workplace that avoids disagreement misses opportunities for growth. Left unaddressed, underlying tensions can fester, eventually stalling innovation and weakening company morale.

Backed by Research: Conflict Is Crucial to Organizational Growth

Stoute isn’t alone in this view. Robert Bordone, a conflict resolution expert and founder of Harvard’s Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program, says conflict avoidance is not the solution. In an earlier interview with CNBC Make It, Bordone stressed that navigating conflict is a skill — one driven by curiosity and openness.

“The work of being conflict resilient is entering into a landscape that doesn’t have a script,” Bordone said. “It’s motivated by a sense of curiosity about the other person.”

Psychology also backs the value of healthy disagreement. Kurt Gray, a professor of social psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, explains that productive conflict requires reframing disagreements as conversations — not competitions.

“Disagreements should be approached as chances to understand, not score points,” Gray advised. “Establishing a connection with someone, seeing them as a fellow human being, goes a long way.”

Building Teams That Welcome Constructive Disagreement

Stoute’s approach to conflict is deliberate. At his company, UnitedMasters — a platform empowering independent artists — he makes space for differing opinions during strategic discussions. He believes tension sparks better decision-making and exposes blind spots, especially when building campaigns for billion-dollar brands or independent creators trying to stand out.

In fact, fostering disagreement is part of what made UnitedMasters a breakout success. Launched in 2017, the company raised over $70 million in funding, including backing from Alphabet (Google’s parent company) and Andreessen Horowitz. Its roster includes Nas, NLE Choppa, and more than 1.5 million independent artists.

Why Embracing Disagreement is a Leadership Superpower

Conflict, when handled properly, isn’t about egos or arguments — it’s about clarity, creativity, and better outcomes. Stoute believes leaders should cultivate a culture where people feel safe challenging ideas, not people.

He warns that avoiding tough conversations might protect short-term feelings but will sabotage long-term goals. “If tension gets overlooked,” he says, “then the company will not reach its full potential.”

In other words, the road to success isn’t paved with agreement — it’s shaped by thoughtful, respectful challenge. And in today’s rapidly evolving business world, leaders who can master the art of productive conflict will be the ones who stay ahead.