A thought-provoking look at how authentic expression of differing opinions leads to more open, creative thinking and ultimately better decision-making. I think this should be a must-read for leaders of all stripes, in business and government and everywhere in between. At times it read a bit "research paper"-ish (this is what we'll be talking about, now we're talking about it, and in conclusion this is what we talked about), but it was an engaging and generally easy read, with interesting case study and real world examples.

I got an advance copy of the book via Netgalley and liked the book.

The author talks about the importance of having authentic dissent and the role it plays in deciding the quality of our decisions.

The author is makes a compelling case and has succeeded in convincing me to change the way I moderate discussions among groups for decision making.

The right time for this book. In this digital era, people is reached easily and many time influenced. The author explains with well documented arguments how people goes with the flow not by ignorance but mostly by fear. Excellent book!

In a well-argued and informative book, Nemeth draws upon extensive research to "dissent' on the prevailing views of consensus building, particularly in corporate settings. She successfully draws a distinction between being a contrarian for the sake of it and dissent based on principles, ethics, and just questioning the frame or process of decision making. That nuanced view makes for an informative and entertaining read. Nemeth does an excellent job in characterizing the various challenges of dissenters - and offers pragmatic thoughts on how to navigate them (no easy solutions - being a stoic may help). Overall, with its pointed challenges of prevailing business genre books that pound the table on consensus - this book offers a much needed fresh perspective for managers/leaders on how to foster the right kind of dissent in the right way.

In Defense of Troublemakers is a compelling book written by esteemed psychologist Charlan Jeanne Nemet. It challenges the consensus that “consensus thinking” is the best way to approach matters of import because with consensus comes constraints. These constraints include limited consideration of various variables, viewpoints, vantages and obstacles. “The value of dissent lies not in its correctness,” opines the author, but rather in its ability to spur on contemplation. The book is riddled with interesting real-life stories supporting the supposition that failure to challenge the status quo can lead to less than desirable consequences. This book is definitely worth the read. It is both entertaining and enlightening.