Listening for the ‘No’

How deep democracy transformed workplace tensions into collective wisdom

Example

Inspiration Stories

Image by Studio Superaarde with Midjourney

A nation divided

In the early 1990s, South Africa stood at a crossroads. Apartheid had officially ended, but its legacy of segregation and inequality lingered in workplaces across the country. South Africa’s primary electricity supplier, Eskom, was no exception. The company’s workforce, historically divided along racial lines, struggled to adapt. While leadership pushed for integration, the wounds of the past remained unspoken, simmering beneath the surface.

Teams were fractured. Meetings were dominated by the voices of those in power—usually white managers—while Black employees, newly invited into decision-making spaces, often remained silent. Resentment and mistrust grew, and productivity suffered as unresolved tensions stalled collaboration. Eskom needed more than just policy changes; they needed a cultural shift.

‍

Silence in the room

When Myrna and Greg Lewis, psychologists and facilitators, were invited to help Eskom navigate this transformation, they quickly realized the heart of the problem: silence. In meetings, decisions were made by the majority while dissenting voices were overlooked. The company’s leaders assumed that quiet meant agreement, but in reality it signaled unresolved conflict.

Traditional conflict-resolution methods fell short. When people did speak up, emotions ran high, fueling defensiveness rather than dialogue. The Lewises understood that without addressing these suppressed tensions, real transformation was impossible. They needed a new approach—one that made space for every voice, especially the marginalized ones.

‍

Elevating the unheard voices

To bridge this divide, Myrna and Greg developed the Lewis Method of Deep Democracy, drawing inspiration from Arnold Mindell’s Process-Oriented Psychology. This method acknowledged that every decision had both rational and emotional dimensions, and that true consensus could only emerge when all perspectives—including the unpopular, dissenting ones—were heard and valued.

The core practice was simple yet powerful: when a decision was on the table, leaders were trained to actively seek out the “no” in the room—the minority voice that often held unspoken wisdom. Through facilitated dialogues, employees were encouraged to express not only what they thought but also what they felt. Conflict was no longer viewed as a problem but as a source of insight and innovation.

‍

From tension to trust

Over the next three years, the Lewises trained nearly 1000 Eskom employees in Deep Democracy. The transformation was palpable. Meetings that once ended in frustration now became spaces of authentic dialogue. Leaders learned to step back and listen, while employees found the courage to speak up without fear of reprisal. As decision-making became faster and more inclusive, team efficiency increased, employee satisfaction rose, and workplace grievances dropped.

One notable breakthrough occurred during a cross-functional leadership workshop. A junior Black technician, previously silent in meetings, voiced his frustration about being overlooked despite his expertise. Instead of brushing it aside, the team applied Deep Democracy techniques, exploring the underlying tension. It turned out that many Black employees shared similar experiences but had remained silent out of fear. This moment of vulnerability led to systemic changes in how projects were assigned and how leadership evaluated contributions.

‍

A light in the dark – key leadership lessons

The transformation at Eskom didn’t just benefit internal culture—it strengthened the company’s ability to serve a rapidly changing nation, ensuring the lights stayed on while the country rebuilt itself. This story offers timeless insights for leaders navigating complexity and change:

Seek the ‘No’: True consensus isn’t about agreement but about addressing dissent. Invite opposing views and explore them deeply.
Balance the rational and the emotional: Decisions aren’t just intellectual—they carry emotional weight. Address both to achieve generative solutions.
Make conflict constructive: When tension arises, lean in. It often signals an unmet need or unspoken wisdom.
Empower all voices: Ensure that everyone, not just the loudest or most senior, has a say in shaping outcomes.
Create safe spaces: Psychological safety is the foundation for honest dialogue. Without it, voices remain silent, and potential is lost.

Leadership isn’t just about guiding people forward—it’s about creating the conditions for every voice to be heard. Myrna and Greg Lewis taught Eskom how to turn conflict into a source of collective wisdom. In doing so, they illuminated a path for organizations worldwide, proving that true democracy starts not at the ballot box but in the meeting room.

This Inspiration Story is filed under:

Elder