
Episode #107
Move from Disagreement to Commitment | Pat Furey
Your team has heard the decision. Have they committed to making it work? Former Torrance Mayor Pat Furey joins Doland White on The Next Interview to explore how listening, acknowledging contributions, and keeping a shared purpose in view help leaders turn disagreement into coordinated action. For Directors, Vice Presidents, Founders, and CEOs, this conversation brings leadership development into a familiar situation: people have different opinions, a decision must be made, and the work still needs to move forward. Pat draws on his public-service experience to explore how leaders create room for discussion while helping people commit to the outcome. You’ll hear examples of listening before directing, inviting others to propose the way forward, and recognizing contributions even when only part of an idea is adopted. These are practical executive leadership habits for anyone navigating competing priorities or trying to strengthen leadership communication. In this episode, you’ll learn how to: • Ask open questions that make room for alternatives before a decision closes. • Show people how their input influenced the direction, helping build trust and ownership. • Separate a person’s preferred option from the commitment needed to move forward. • Use institutional humility to understand people and processes before pushing change. • Keep a shared purpose visible during disruption and difficult decisions. The leadership coaching application is straightforward: in your next decision conversation, summarize what you heard, explain what shaped the outcome, and ask for a clear commitment to the next step. Choose one practice and use it before your next week gets busy. • 00:00 Meet former Torrance Mayor Pat Furey • 06:00 Listen before you lead • 15:00 Turn input into ownership and commitment • 23:00 Lead through disruption with a shared purpose Subscribe to The Next Interview for conversations that help you empower your team and lead with confidence. Share this episode with a leader navigating disagreement, and comment: What will you change in your next decision conversation? Guest: Pat Furey, former two-term Mayor of Torrance, California. Personal website and preferred LinkedIn profile awaiting confirmation. Hosted by Doland White, executive coach, author of Lead With Confidence®, and The Empowerment Guy. Order the book: https://www.dolandwhite.com/lwc Explore Doland’s work: https://www.dolandwhite.com Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dolandwhite






