Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.

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Sometimes the higher-ups make a decision you just don’t agree with. But you still have to carry it out — especially if you’re a manager — so what do you do?

o First, resist the temptation to reveal your true feelings to peers and team members. Your job is to help your organization succeed, and you won’t be doing that if you undermine the decision.

o Then ask yourself why someone would think this choice was a good one.

o While you’re at it, ask yourself why you object to the decision at all. Write down your complaints, and then think about how you might overcome them.

This exercise will help you anticipate any obstacles you might face in carrying out the decision. Once you better understand why the decision was made, convey that understanding to your team. After all, how much effort your team puts into making a plan succeed depends in large part on how much they believe in it.

Adapted from “When You Have to Carry Out a Decision You Disagree With,” by Art Markman

To check out that HBR article and join the discussion, please click here.

Here’s a direct link to dozens of other Management Tips.