I’m not sure today’s quote is clear in its meaning and intent. I suspect Land meant that collaboration needs honest and open communications and that participants must speak their minds. To suggest that politeness should be abandoned is a bit much – people working together must still be respectful and professional, but they should never hold back for fear of hurting someone’s feelings. Work team members must have thick skins, able to give and take and learn from honest feedback, positive or negative. Because projects end best when everyone contributes their best efforts and thinking. Leaders of work teams must establish and clearly communicate rules and expectations and facilitate discussions that examine everything and surface all ideas. When selecting team members, leaders should make it clear they want them to speak up if they disagree or see something that’s wrong, and when leading them they should foster the kinds of challenging cross communications that support achieving the best results. Participants in group efforts must stay focused on the project’s objectives and add their expertise and comments in good faith and real time. Any form of politeness that limits the free and open exchange of thoughts and ideas should be discouraged. That’s how to get the most out of your work teams today.
Edwin Herbert Land (1909 – 1991): American scientist and inventor, best known as the inventor of the Polaroid Land Camera which could take a picture and develop it in 60 seconds or less.