innovators need to be disagreeable. By disagreeable, I…
““innovators need to be disagreeable. By disagreeable, I don’t mean obnoxious or unpleasant. I mean that on that fifth dimension of the Big Five personality inventory, “agreeableness,” they tend to be on the far end of the continuum. They are people willing to take social risks—to do things that others might disapprove of.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Innovators often score low on agreeableness, embracing social risk and challenging norms to drive change.
In simple terms: Innovators are often disagreeable, taking social risks.
Embrace constructive dissent.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- Startup leadership
- product design
- team brainstorming
- cultural change
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance dissent with teamwork?
- When does disagreement become counterproductive?
Being too disagreeable can alienate collaborators.