That is not helpful, nor is it a sign of having critical thinking skills. Yet today I found out that a few people werent comfortable with my recommendation and had information that would have been helpful. Because it's familiar, mobile, secure, integrated and connects everyone. Psychology Today 2022 Sussex Publishers, LLC, The Top 5 Gaslighting Phrases of Struggling Adult Children, The Risks of Getting Into a New Relationship. Discover the business value of Workplace in the latest Forrester Total Economic Impact Study. Assigning clear roles to each member is also important. Develop your independence and self-worth, and respect from others will follow. One good way to do this is by getting all members of the group to write down pros and cons (anonymously is even better) for each idea before deciding on a course of action. In the above conversation, Daniel acknowledged the team had broad agreement about some of these elements, while Dan notes that the group was at a good starting point. Celebrating moments of progress has been shown to help teams build morale and forward momentum to take on difficult and challenging tasks. How do you recognize groupthink in the workplace? Together, they took steps to improve relations between the two countries such as by establishing a direct telephone connection or hotline where the leaders of the two countries could get in immediate contact with each other. Everyone is connected - whether theyre working on-site or working remotely. Ask yourself, What would I do or say if I were alone? In 1973, Yale psychologist Irving Janis began exploring the concept of Groupthink by researching the chain of events involved in the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961, where U.S.-trained and equipped soldiers attempted to overthrow Fidel Castro's Cuban government. Heres how: Increase awareness. Avoid the dangers of groupthink and develop the skills to think independently. You wont be helping your team if you dont share the more efficient and cost-effective strategy that you know. Collaborative workspace is the popular term celebrated by organizations who are taking down the cubicle walls and encouraging people to talk to one another. Were they critical of any of the ideas team members came up with? Psychologists have correlated larger groups with groupthink, so while there may not be an ideal size, dont add members unnecessarily. 3 3. Optional: Obtain feedback from a different team. This can be because of what behavioral experts call reputational pressures - they dont want to be disapproved of by their peers or punished in some way by people who have authority over them. Find out right here. A way of deliberating that group members use when their desire for unanimity overrides their motivation to assess all plans of action. How will the metaverse change how we work? Bring in subject matter experts (SMEs). But maybe some people look unsure or uncomfortable, yet hesitant to voice doubts. For example, one group we studied had the following conversation about whether patients should be able to see who had accessed their electronic health record: Daniel: The standard way to build transparency is that the technology can and does provide that auditing and that audit should itself be available to the patient whose information has been disclosed. Here are some tips from experts: Plan for it. Everything you need to transform the way you work with Workplace. -Group members may want all members of the group to agree more than they want to find the best solution or make the best decision. Regardless of what method you use, encourage every person to develop an idea in advance of a meeting. Looking to launch Workplace? Most often, groupthink is unconscious and unintentional. Understand the process of inviting members of your organization to claim their accounts. If you're in the same boat, make it clear that it's okay for team members to explore alternatives instead of always relying on the same rigid decision-making process or framework. Thus, for making important corporate decisions, it is advisable to foster the diversity of minds by including some people with contrarian views and different career paths in the process. Some are essential to make our site work; others help us improve the user experience. In these situations, groups will want to reduce decisional stress - and to do this, theyll try to agree quickly with as little argument as possible. 5 Ways to Avoid Groupthink. When you have an exec or the CEO in the room, there can be an aura of invulnerabilitybe cognizant of this possibility! How to assess your team at work using "360 degree feedback". You must. Writing in the Harvard Business Review, Cass R. Sustain and Reid Hastie talk about cascade effects - where members of the group fall into line with the statements of the person who spoke first. It can occur when an organizations people lack the strategies and tools to manage conflict effectively, whether that entails policies, procedures, reporting structures or training. Be proactive and ready to address it when it surfaces or feels like it might surface. blindness to potential problems. Sometimes, the best thing a leader can do to prevent groupthink is to take a step back from his or her team and allow the group to reach its own independent consensus before making a final decision. Grab the Hybrid Work Playbook, which includes real-life case studies and breaks down all things hybrid + remote, from building and sustaining a hybrid workforce to better ways to collaborate when everyone's working in different places. For a start, you wont know what the team really thinks. Dont put yourself in a position where you are asking yourself why you went along with the group, [+] why you accepted the status quo or why you didnt speak up. The more people you have in a group, the more folks tend to feel comfortable to leave everything up to the usual decision-makers and keep their points of view to themselves. Use communications platforms that allow for different channels, like video chat and screen sharing, and find ways to include the quiet members of the team in conversations. Already a Workplace Partner? For leaders, that means walking the walk by not squashing down the person who tells you what you dont want to hear. Here are a few ideas. It may be counterintuitive, but more brains are definitely not always better. 2. Are There Signs Were Becoming Less Polarized? Looking to connect more deeply with employees? This groupthink results in overconfidence in poorly evaluated ideas and can seriously impair your groups ability to even recognize opportunities for testing, expansion or evolution. Groupthink can also be a symptom of a negative workplace culture in which people: In some situations, colleagues may genuinely think the same way about a topic because its a more homogeneous workforce everyone has similar life experiences and perspectives. Engage in open discussions. Focus Roles - Client, Facilitator, Resources. How will leaders navigate the changing technology landscape? But rewind a moment. Implement both team and individual development initiatives to encourage your team to constantly work to think better. When youre the new boss, it feels great to have employees agree with your decisions. What we saw in the groups that overcame groupthink is that it began with one member expressing dissatisfaction with the status quo. And leaders can even not attend some group meetings altogether, leaving the group feeling freer about having an open discussion. One thing I really like about using Dialpad is the in-meeting chat feature, which lets us do exactly thisinstead of interrupting the speaker, our teammates can ask questions and be engaged in the discussion by typing in their messages: Sometimes, an outside expert can help clarify ideas and pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of ideas. Discover new ways to use Workplace and best practices to help you work smarter. Kevin: Say a patient gives Dr. Jones permission to view and incorporate their information. Once that permission is granted, you dont need another audit trail, because the information is now the physicians information within their own office, right? Next, encourage the group to adopt and discuss a liminal idea. Art Petty, founder and principal of the Art Petty Group, says any risk plan should include a way to monitor and reduce emerging groupthink. People will come to appreciate your thoughts because they will see that it helps them make better decisions. Leaders should not express an opinion when assigning a task to a group. Ideally, the devils advocate should be an external facilitator or coach who has no personal stake in the decision and who is well versed in group dynamics and decision making processes. The company evaluates information objectively. While great for team building, people in offices also need a space to go when they need to be alone. It happens when people are making decisions at the office, family members are deciding what movie to watch and voters voting for the candidate they think has the best chance of winning because they think others will vote for that person. Often, the problems we're trying to solve call for creative solutions, and we can't always logic our way through a creative brief. Fill out the form and one of our representatives will contact you within one business day. Groupthink is defined as a way of group deliberation that minimizes conflict and emphasis the need for unanimity. Be that person that can interject freshness at work. What is groupthink? Questions can get others to think about new information and, in turn, lead them to make more thoughtful and constructive decisions. With more and more teams moving to online meetings and remote work, this is an opportunity for us to implement processes and tools that help, rather than hinder, decision making. Often, people assume diversity and inclusion go hand in hand. It doesn't mean you think the group will fail - but that it's preferable to tackle the problem head on rather than ignore it. Take the guided tour to see all our features in action. Document the decision. Thats why groupthink is a challenge for so many organizations and, in most cases, were not even aware of our mental processes that nudge us toward conformity and agreement. Ask the event committee questions. EveryTime, This is a BETA experience. That way, people wont feel under pressure to agree with the leaders opinions. It may be either due to a dominating leader or the group tendency towards harmony over decision quality. Too much homogeneity can lead to groupthink [Copyright: fotolia/cartoonresource]The result of groupthink is that only a limited number of options are considered, sometimes even just one, and that no open and thorough discussion of the pros and cons is happening, as the group quickly converges on one option. We're proud to offer Workplace Core for free to eligible non-profit charitable organizations. This so-called illusion of invulnerability' encourages people to reject outside opinions and negatively stereotypes people and ideas from outside the group that might damage the consensus. The causes for this irrational behaviour are based on group dynamics driven by mutual pressure for homogeneity and conformance to real or perceived group values as well as a hierarchical group structure where the leader is always right and everyone else conforms quickly to what he said he wants or what they guess he might want. Learn more about the benefits and apply today. You might even need to reach out to experts from outside the team to help you or do some more research so you can be sure youre basing decisions on the right information. Pairing. In some cases, groupthink can be a symptom of deeper problems at a workplace like conflict management, culture and diversity. Allowing groupthink to happen when high-stake decisions are taken is completely unacceptable, as the methods for avoiding groupthink have been known for at least four decades. Groupthink sounds like something out of George Orwells novel 1984, but the phrase was coined by psychologist Irving L. Janis back in the 70s. Apart from reducing the risk of groupthink it would also help avoid organisational blindness. However, there could still be a risk that participants avoid a controversial discussion and converge too quickly on a decision before they have properly explored a number of options. The end result, thankfully, was a good group process that led to successful outcomes. Seek feedback. Their goal was to figure out and recommend a process to the U.S. secretary of health and human services to make Americans health care records electronic by 2014. Discover how to talk and listen to everyone in your organization (and why you need to). The problem with groupthink isnt about team cohesiveness. How to avoid groupthink: 5 tips for better collaboration. Critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, Work environment doesnt feel inclusive to some people, The blame game (When no single employee feels they own a decision, finger-pointing and protests of Its not my fault often occur when things go wrong. Want to try a communications platform that lets you make phone calls, have video meetings, and send messagesall from one app? Dan: Right. Here are five ways to address and even prevent groupthink: Plan for it. This is a simple, but effective way to foster critical thinking in your businesss work environment, and ultimately reduce biases and the human tendency to rely on stereotyping. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Perhaps more reserved employees remain quiet entirely. Our easy-to-use tools will make your most important messages unmissable, and your intranet inspirational. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Janis suggests that this can help everyone focus and minimize information overloadbut that lack of information can hurt your decision-making, so use this strategy with caution. Get the lowdown on how we keep your people and information safe on Workplace with added technical terminology. While introverts may have a particularly rough time, using meetings as a primary form of discussion means that your team cannot independently evaluate an issue. Just as homogeneity can be one contributor to groupthink, team diversity can mitigate against it. 4 4. Recommending a new national protocol required embracing tectonic change with tremendous risk. What if our junior members do not have the budget to stay the night? The planning lead may not even be thinking about this, and the committee members are just going along with the leader. They are simple, but no always easy to implement. Find out why domain management matters - and how to do it properly. What is customary is comfortable, and people seek comfortable situations. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. If you pick someone from a lower hierarchical level than the rest of the group, it is important to make sure that power differences between members are irrelevant in the discussion, which should focus on the subject and the merits of different arguments. We want to help you eliminate that whole attitude of Well, we assume its gonna work from, Keith Berry is General Manager of the KYC Solutions business at New York-based Moodys, where he promotes innovation across a passionate and dedicated organization focused on helping customers understand who they are doing business with. Ben Dattner, Ph.D., is a workplace consultant, an industrial and organizational psychologist, and an adjunct professor at New York University. Comfortable is easy. These 'symptoms' were developed by Janis to show the way groupthink influences individuals and teams. These groups are tasked with developing consensus around new ideas, such as procedures, policies, products, or services. Kevin: Is this data accessible on the network, or is it data that resides within an individuals application? Daniel: It sounds like we have broad agreement about some of these elements. 3. So how do organizations stay connected in a new world of work? We can help get in touch today. To avoid groupthink, resist the temptation to extinguish conflict as soon as it arises. People wonder how decisions like these ever got made. Our flexible pricing plans offer unbeatable value, great customization options and advanced security as standard. Treating new ideas as liminal (rather than literal) allowed members to relieve some of this pressure and enter into a transitional space where play and experimentation were encouraged. Individual leadership styles can be more likely to give rise to groupthink. These groups are highly prone to groupthink quick agreement around status quo solutions with little discussion or deliberation. Groupthink is a major scourge of executive boards and supervisory boards. I do think that if your group is trying to tackle a complex or nuanced problem, and it feels like the discussion is flowing along too smoothly, that it's a sign that someone isn't speaking up. Be that person that your colleagues want to work with when they want to think outside the box. Cultivate an Idea Meritocracy. Learn how Insperity can help your business. What is groupthink - and why is it a problem? Create a culture where employees are encouraged to critically analyze situations and proactively share information and provide feedback. How to avoid groupthink tips and tricks, by Chris Brennan | Learning and Development Specialist, prompt employees to object or present other ideas, For organizations with 5 to 149 employees, For organizations with 150 to 5,000 employees, Scalable HR and payroll administration infrastructure, Risk mitigation and HR-related compliance, Advanced workforce technology and analytics, As-needed support from an HR service team, Sense of loyalty to ones manager or colleagues, along with the perceived obligation to avoid making them look bad by contradicting them, The pressure to make a decision within a short timeframe or in accordance with the wishes of a higher authority, Belief that ones own input wont make much of a difference, Lack of employee engagement with the decision-making process, Insulation from opposing sources of information, Dont feel comfortable speaking up to disagree with or challenge ideas especially to a manager, Do feel pressured or coerced to think a certain way. Here are three. By directly involving himself in the decision making, Kennedy caused his subordinates to come up with a plan that pleased him rather than one that made the most strategic sense. See how Workplace easily integrates with all your favorite business tools. So whatever you need, our integrations have got you covered. Strengthen Culture Show people you're committed to culture by empowering everybody to be the best version of themselves. Yet not all consensus-based problem-solving groups engage in groupthink. You don't have to be an IT genius to launch Workplace, but if you are then these technical resources are for you. The caveat here is that this usually applies to complicated problems and tasks. As a further check on groupthink, once you reach an initial decision, hold a second chance meeting where people can raise any doubts or questions before making a final decision. The Memo | Forbes: Cleaning Up FTX, Climate Tech Boom And Politics At The World Cup, Why A Gradual Approach To Tackling Corruption Might Make More Sense, Starting A Business In A Recession? Is the reaction to challenges mostly negative or positive? Or, divide the group into two and ask one team to present the pros and the other team to present the cons of each option. Learn how to encourage cross-team collaboration and understand the best practices and pitfalls to leverage better collaboration across your teams. This form of purposeful dissent will test the strength of any idea that emerges from within the group. Not every close-knit team falls victim to groupthink. Were doing our bit for a better world by making sure every employee feels seen, heard and valued. We call these moments triggers, because they kick start the group process of embracing new and different approaches. Which types of employees are speaking up the most? Heres how to get team collaboration right. And if they want, as they profess, to be the party of one-nation principles, they need to change, and fast. Dont put yourself in a position where you are asking yourself why you went along with the group, why you accepted the status quo or why you didnt speak up. In the above conversation, Kevin interpreted the comment onerous in terms of how the backup system functioned. How to Prevent Groupthink In a lean organization, you must consciously combat groupthink. Is this the best decision for the group? Groupthink can have negative consequences (as John found out), because it can lead to poor or even disastrous decisions. When poor conflict management exists, unfortunately, challenging ideas may be misconstrued as challenging people. Avoid the dangers of groupthink and develop the skills to think independently. Robert Kennedy took on the role of Devil's Advocate and was tasked with vigorously arguing against contemplated courses of action in order to force the group to discuss and debate the contingent merits of different strategies. For true collaboration to happen, you need to ask questions, challenge ideas, and overcome differences, even if its uncomfortable for team members. Rather than prioritizing ideas that a vocal majority (or vocal minority) seem to be on board with or are suggested by senior team members, evaluate ideas objectively based on merit. 3 Ways to Impress a New Romantic Interest . Look for outside perspectives, bringing people from different teams and other experts into the group to present their views and inform deliberations. It makes for a much more fun andfruitfulbrainstorming process, trust me. Organizations must pay attention to inclusion rather than assimilation, which . Promote Diversity and Inclusivity. In short, once groupthink takes hold, what seems like a harmonious group is, in reality, little more than a vehicle for nodding through ill-considered decisions. Ultimately, the value in having these agencies lies in their willingnessand really, it's their responsibilityto express alternative or unpopular viewpoints. Had I seen the information they had, I wouldnt have made that decision.. Get the latest news and insights from the frontline of work. Avoiding an intimidating, know-it-all persona, Listening to and considering new, unanticipated ideas, Balancing conversations so that everyone has a voice, Encouraging people who are quiet or naturally more reserved to speak up, Escalating potential problems or issues that are brought to their attention, Train managers well on leading others through the decision-making process, Review current practices and update as needed. Methods 1 and 2 might already do the job. First of all, you should focus on large groups and this orientation should be permanent. Nicky: Is there a recommended wording you think will make this point clear? Those who feel they are being challenged can take personal offense and tempers can flare. Basically, your team denies that it comprises individuals who each have unique experiences and expertise, and establishes a streamlined way of thought. Instead, one person must make the decisions. Leadership is the key to creating a genuinely collaborative group. Here are a few of the symptoms of groupthink: Self-censorship: Individuals in a team will remain quiet about views that are contrary to the ideas and decisions the group has decided on. I, By Jennifer Maerz, Contributing Editor of Lean Startup Co. Reducing uncertainty is one of Lean Startups core tenets. Posted April 20, 2011 Ken: Is there a way to propose a less onerous, but still comprehensive account? They are Illusions of invulnerability, which leads the members of the group to take part in risk-taking and become overly optimistic. This is where we reveal the hidden depths Workplace has to offer with tips and info on key features. He defined it as a psychological drive for consensus at any cost and saw it as a factor in a range of political debacles of the period, from the Bay of Pigs to the escalation of the Vietnam war. Here they are: Homogeneity of group members in terms of their professional background and corporate socialisation is usually favouring groupthink. In Johns situation, it happened because employees were afraid to speak out against their new bosss decision. For companies earning $500 million+ annually, 85 percent report diversity is crucial for . Lets say you are walking into a meeting where you and your colleagues will decide on the vendors you want to work with on a project. As part of the process of engaging in open discussions, avoid criticizing anyone who speaks out with alternative opinions. 2. This can result in what Janis called the illusion of unanimity. In other words, itll seem like everyone agrees when they dont. (I used to be guilty of this, and probably still am, but I'm much more conscious of this now.). McDonalds uses Workplace to enhance its restaurant employee experience. Start here. What would I do if there were no consequences? Think for yourself, and get comfortable with your thoughts and beliefs so that you can develop the confidence to ultimately act on them. Well, group decision-making often falls victim to groupthink. Encourage constructive debate. Get access to an online community of Workplace customers and learn directly from your peers. Researchers Aaron Hermann and Hussain G. Rammal from the University of Adelaide argue in their paper The grounding of the flying bank (2010) that a major factor contributing to the demise of Swissair was bad strategic decision making resulting from groupthink. Recruit a Diverse Team In lean organizations, each person is critically important. You may withdraw your consent and unsubscribe from such emails at any time. But avoiding groupthink is a matter of establishing just how much solidarity there should be in a team. Cohesiveness in a team is desirable, but its a matter of degree. From Lawyer To Reality Star: Kendra Robinson Shares How She Built Her Business Portfolio, Shes Playing A Life-Changing Role On Broadway In Leopoldstadt, A Seamless Product Experience Can Make Or Break Sales, Adidas To Continue Selling Yeezy Designs Without Kanye West, Align Your Corporate Giving With Employee Values, How To Follow Your Gut And Stop Projecting The Future, These Syrian Women Want Answers On Forcibly Disappeared Family Members, 6 Eco-Friendly Beauty Brands That Go Beyond Greenwashing. Employee Engagement Ditch the email for more engaging company-wide conversations that give every employee a voice. Janis also had the idea of breaking teams into sub-groups that can work on the same issue simultaneously, thereby providing different perspectives. Encourage a Devil's Advocate. Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories. Employees need to know, without any doubt, that: They can voice their ideas and opinions without retribution even if they may be in opposition to someone elses, particularly a managers. These are common ways to avoid groupthink: Team members must acknowledge any groupthink bias that comes consciously or unconsciously to their minds in a decision-making process. If you're in one of these influential roles, one simple way to do this when you have a hybrid or remote team is to just put yourself on mute when you're getting the team to have a group discussion without your influence. What is important is communicating physically that your organization values independent thought. Fittingly, I have only qualitative experiences to back this up and not numerical proof, so feel free to take it or leave it. These tactics will help teams keep fresh ideas alive to fuel organizational creativity and innovation. Get help with setting up Workplace, managing domains and other technical issues. Discover essential tips to improve multidisciplinary collaboration, including the benefits of multiple points of view and how to improve teamwork in your workplace. In the above conversation, when Kevin says: Say a patient gives Dr. Jones permission to view and incorporate their information, rather than selling the group a great idea, he invites members to play and experiment with him to make the idea work. Are there other, newer venders who can do a better job? While you may be interested and able to attend, you are concerned the event may not be feasible for some of your members. Pairing is a concept from Steven Rogelberg's The Surprising Science of Meetings where you split your team into pairs to discuss meeting ideas/topics for a few minutes before moving to the all-attendee discussion. Does the decision seem too comfortable? There are also some situations where it may be more likely to occur. People from different backgrounds offer different perspectives, so they may be less likely to slip into comfortable consensus. One thing I've noticed is that overemphasizing reason and "inside-the-box" thinking can kill creativity and instinct. Here are five strategies for doing so: In lean organizations, each person is critically important. One of the best ways to prevent groupthink and mix things up is to covertly(or overtly) assign a "devils advocate." This team member's task is to oppose any popular ideas and input. How do you build authentic values? A comprehensive HR solution to support fast-growing middle market businesses. There were also significant legal, security and privacy concerns ranging from cybersecurity to patient privacy. In my opinion, meetings should never be a monologue or led by any one person - even the CEO. Sign in to the Partner Portal now. See how Dialpad can help hybrid teams minimize groupthink by taking a self-guided tour, or chat with our Sales team! Instead, they jumped to conclusions and then moved forward without an openness to new information and without considering changes in direction. The prevailing rule should never be: X works, so X is the only way.. (Decision-making by committee = death by a thousand cuts. Since groupthink is usually unconscious and unintentional, it can be hard to figure out whether its present in your organization. Groupthink can happen when people are under pressure or need to make quick decisions, so the need to reach consensus, right or wrong, overcomes everything else. Groupthink is less likely to happen where open leadership solicits, welcomes, and values different views. (Janis uses historical political fiascoes as examples of groupthink, such as the Bay of Pigs disaster. You might say, This looks great, though I see that the hotel is a long drive. They are simple, but no always easy to implement. Knowing that the survival of the nation, and the world, depended on the decisions and actions he took, Kennedyunlike what he did the year beforedecided to try and get as much information and to identify as many different courses of action as possible. Fortunately, President Kennedy proved capable of learning from his mistakes as his actions in the wake of the next major crisis that occurred on his watch, The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, prove. 3. Find out how organizations like yours are using Workplace to solve their most important business challenges. Your thoughts can create change. When people do . The 6 core questions of Strategy Knotworking (visual by Thea Schukken) Some examples of Liberating Structures that can prevent Groupthink and fit well with Strategy Knotworking are:. Diversity strategies should be as much of a consideration for current team members as it is in recruitment. The advantage of an outside expert is that they aren't a part of your group dynamic and aren't prone to the types of rationalizations that may become second nature to an in-house team. The first step toward prevention is to make people aware of what groupthink is, as well as how and why it can occur. Is Your Attachment Anxiety Messing With Your Memory. Still can't find what you're looking for? Stay up to speed with all the latest Workplace innovations, feature announcements and product updates. What is 'Groupthink'? Because from an audit train standpoint, I would agree, its going to be very difficult to submit backup every time a physician may access a patients record in their own system. According to Janis, it can develop when group cohesiveness is high and when a group has a warm, clubby atmosphere. As he described it: The more amiability and esprit de corps among members of a policy-making group, the greater is the danger that independent critical thinking will be replaced by groupthink.. The more detailed audit, the more transparency. Weeks later, it turned out that John had been missing key pieces of information that would have made a difference in his decision. Listen to our Pioneer Podcasts to hear some of our favorite success stories from our biggest champions. (See my note on contrarians above). Delaying agreement can feel very stressful as it requires acknowledging uncertainty, which groups can interpret as failure or a lack of progress. Interested in becoming a Workplace partner? Demand discussion by always asking why when someone proposes something new. Keep your Workplace up to date by creating, maintaining or deactivating user accounts. (E.g., Others used it before and it worked then, so its not our fault that it didnt work now.). Psychological safety is a relatively new concept, but it's vital in a workplace. So how would you know if it was a problem with your team? What . Learn how to build your own integrations. Assign a devils advocate. Ask one or more team members to play the role of devils advocate to ensure all sides of a topic are explored and discussed. They can then frame a lack of final agreement as progress and so maintain morale and forward momentum. Deliver your employee experience strategy with Workplace. John was new in his director-level role and needed to quickly assess several situations and make some decisions. Are you sure your team is really doing its job or could you be suffering from a case of groupthink? Last week I tried a recipe for sweet and sour eggs. I browned the flour and butter exactly like the book said, I waited precisely two minutes before I stirred in the hot water. The Lean Startup is a registered trademark owned by Eric Ries. This is an example of groupthink in the workplace. The mindguard's job is to withhold certain information to prevent overthinking and doubt in the group. Remote working is big. Cloud collaboration: what is it and how can it help. From leveling-up company communication to building a better culture, were here to solve your toughest challenges. That individual may have a lieutenant, but clientship cannot rest with the full team or even a large subset. This would mean stronger protection for renters and higher standards demanded of landlords. Most have a natural tendency to want to avoid these awkward or unpleasant encounters with others at work. How will they add to the diversity of interests, experiences, passions and positions represented? Groupthink can result in stale ideas. Looking for answers to more technical questions about security, integration and the like? Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. Dan spoke from the perspective of the patient, who may not have the time or interest to carefully look through the audit. The answers to these questions might start to give you an idea of whether your team is at risk of groupthink. Indeed, a closed leadership style, where the leader states their opinion early on and makes it clear they dont want to consider alternative views or courses of action, is conducive to groupthink. Security is at the heart of everything we do, with world-class infrastructure and features to keep your company safe. And if anyone does put forward dissenting views or evidence, group members will put pressure on them to change their minds and fall into line. People will respect you more for your independence (and not see you as biased towards fitting in). why you accepted the status quo or why you didnt speak up. It happens when a group puts maintaining cohesiveness and reaching consensus above everything else, including having honest, open business communication and collaboration that fosters creativity and leads to good decision-making. Teams often view conflict as a negative, but as long as it doesnt get out of control, it can be useful in allowing creative disagreement to come to the surface. Triggers give members an opportunity to reveal how they each view the problem at hand. 5 Reasons Why You Need Strategic Thinking On All Levels Of Your Organisation. We conducted a study in which we examined verbatim transcripts from four virtual task forces established in 2004, by the American Health Information Community (AHIC). Think of the terrible advertising campaign that inexplicably gets signed off and appears everywhere or the completely unsuitable candidate who somehow gets hired. (Likewise, when you notice biases or stereotyping happening, that's probably a sign that you've got a case of groupthink.). Here are three tips for avoiding groupthink: Ask questions. One of the characteristics of groupthink is that team members will censor what they say or say nothing - theyll do this themselves rather than wait for criticism. The advantage of high level cohesiveness is that there will be little tension between the . And how do you become a better one? 5 5. has been shown to help teams build morale and forward momentum. Learn how you can automate and integrate your custom solutions with Workplace using our API. Moving to an informal setup and opening the floor to people is another way of avoiding groupthink. Get in touch with a team of experts for more hands-on support. If you really believe in a project or an approach, you can't be afraid to enter conflict for fear of rejection. Bring your entire organization together on Workplace, even if they don't have an email address. Prepare for the future of work with our collection of articles, insights and interviews on key business topics. When you question the usual outcomes, you become the person with new ideas. Discover how to bring all your tools together. When groups are tasked with coming to consensus on a course of action, agreement feels good it denotes progress and group belonging. Whether you're the host of the meeting or one of the more senior team members in the room, you can have a huge influence on the decision-making process. Groupthink happens, when a group of people jointly makes worse decisions than each group member would have done on their own. Got a specific question about managing content, data or employees? Brain Evidence About Suicide Attempts and Youth. Your colleagues say they feel comfortable partnering with these vendors on this project since they have worked with them in the past. How to Avoid Groupthink Traps 1. Ready to take your organization to the next level? What John experienced is known as groupthink its when members of a group yield to the consensus or to the most vocal participants (such as a new boss) and fail to consider all the potential options and consequences. They can tend to be boring and lack audience attention and effectiveness. Teams who adopt a liminal idea can come to consensus around the why of an idea, even if they disagree about how theyre going to execute it. These symptoms display a need for team improvement. There are various contexts in which groupthink can come into play. Irving Janis, the research psychologist from Yale University who first explored the phenomenon scientifically, already presented a number of useful methods in his book Victims of Groupthink, first published in 1972. The main thing is, no one asks follow-up questions, raises thoughtful objections, explores other facets of an issue or plays devils advocate. By keeping your ideas to yourself at first, you can mitigate this and encourage the rest of the group to use teamwork and brainstorming to come up with their own ideas. In this blog post, I'll walk you through some of those tactics. Intentionally structure meetings. We love sharing what we've learned about the future of work, so download a guide or infographic on us. People will respect you more for your independence (and not see you as biased towards fitting in). Find your favorite story. Look for a mix of personalities that can bounce off each other too. Copyright 2022 Insperity. Teams that lack diversity can make assumptions about many things and lack alternative perspectives to challenge biases. We wanted to learn from the exceptions when and how do they keep new ideas alive? And why does it matter so much? Hybrid will be bigger. So one trick for leaders who want to discourage groupthink is to avoid speaking first in meetings. However, just because an organization is diverse doesnt mean its automatically inclusive. I dont get it. Perhaps we can take all these elements and evolve them into something that is more user friendly once we have full agreement about what we think will work. The next key moment in avoiding groupthink is when a member reacts to the trigger by proposing a placeholder solution. When the topic is of high importance, internal or external subject matter experts can help ensure a full understanding of all angles, consequences and options/alternatives. If you really believe in a project or an approach, you can't be afraid to enter conflict for fear of rejection. Check out these tips, best practices and inspirational use cases to build a truly connected business on Workplace. Want to become a Workplace partner? When members of a group become too friendly, it can be difficult for people to raise dissenting views for fear of offending each other and damaging the group's harmony. From informing everyone about the return to the office to adopting a hybrid way of working, Workplace makes work more simple. What happens quite often is that the CEO is chairing the meeting. If youre still feeling uncomfortable about the decision after this process, you could ask a different team to review the information and provide feedback. That is a sure way to generate "Groupthink.". If everyone reads the same articles, attends the same conferences, and experiences the same interactions and outcomes, how will your organization maintain diversity of thought? Discover a simpler way to stay connected with familiar features you'll love to use. This can lead to bad if not catastrophic decisions - suggestions of groupthink surround everything from the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the Challenger space shuttle disaster. (That's why we all love hiring agencies, right?). So how can managers help their teams keepfresh ideas alive? This allows each member to freely air objections and doubts. Consider hiring an external facilitator and an external devils advocate for meetings on major strategic decisions. Instead, look to calm the situation down and then hear the protagonists out. And Ryan interpreted the audit system not allowing for patient control as onerous. Our latest insights on new ways of working. Seek out the subtle issues (no matter how small) and address them openly. Not every group suffers from groupthink, of course, so when does it happen? Research has shown that consensus-based problem-solving groups are often where innovative ideasgo to die. All this can take time, so you might not be able to reach a quick decision. Sometimes team members can be shy of saying what they feel. There are three methods that I consider best for preventing groupthink. This is the place to ask it. The funny thing is, in most work environments I've been in are fertile breeding grounds for groupthink and actually prevents individual critical thinking to flourish within group discussions. When holding an interview, spend time talking about more than their resume; learn their story. The structure of a meeting - in terms of both its consistent schedule and format - can help to avoid groupthink. They found that the groups who avoided groupthink followed three steps: 1) They challenged the status quo; 2) They adopted a placeholder solution that allowed them to agree on broad principles. Did you learn anything new, or did you mainly talk about what everyone already knows? The term "groupthink" was actually coined in the 1950s, but it was the psychologist Irving Janis 1972 book, Victims of Groupthink, that really popularized the term. How to build effective team collaboration in the workplace, How To Make Cross-team Collaboration Work Effectively. Whats Wrong with People who Fall for Narcissists? Its difficult to accept that the team harmony youve worked so hard to create could have a detrimental effect on successful collaboration. The first step in avoiding groupthink relies on recognizing that its happening in the first place. Isnt the idea to reach a consensus? Encourage debate. This is when you might have to encourage debate so the group can start looking at a problem from different angles. Dont shoot the messenger. What helps you to avoid groupthink? Take the tour to see how all our features and technology come together to turn your company into a community. Let's get into all the reasons that Workplace is the right choice for your business. Play devils advocate by asking questions, question comfort and challenge your own thoughts. Does anyone disagree when ideas are discussed? Afflicted with groupthink, your team will rarely challenge itself. If patients are giving permission for the system to include their data, should that automatically come with permission to view the data? Some of these people will be in positions of authority, but you can push back in a diplomatic, non-threatening way. Discuss how recognizing this behavior can not only benefit individuals personally but also the company. lack of creativity. Keep an open mindset and encourage your employees to voice their ideas, no matter how poorly thought-out or impractical they might be. Sometimes, the best thing a leader can do to prevent groupthink is to take a step back from his or her team and allow the group to reach its own independent consensus before making a final. Download the Forrester Total Economic Impact Report to discover the value Workplace can bring to your organization. Leaders at any level of any kind of organization can learn from this case study. Some people strive to fit in. Highlight where an individuals experience better informed a strategy (e.g., a test design, marketing copy). Decision-making in any big group can be tricky. If possible, set up a Think Better budget, which team members can use on anything they think will improve their perspective. Learn how to keep Workplace running smoothly with info on networks, email whitelisting and domains. Educate the Team The first step for preventing groupthink is to make sure the entire team is aware of what it is, as well as how and why it can occur. Having a know-it-all attitude Groupthink is often a result of a lack of critical thinkingsomething that goes hand-in-hand with a know-it-all attitude. Lisa Quastis theauthor ofSecrets of a Hiring Manager Turned Career Coach: A Foolproof Guide to Getting the Job You Want. Somebody has to own the effort. Communicate challenges in advance. the best thing a leader can do to prevent groupthink is to take a step back from his or her team and allow the group to reach its own independent . Not all conflict is good or healthy, of course, but a fear of conflict avoidance can be a sign of a dysfunctional work environment. Share with me your stories and thoughts via Twitter or LinkedIn. When Ken uttered the word onerous it changed the direction of the conversation, because it attacked the usefulness of the status quo. By using the site, you consent to the placement of these cookies. Groupthink makes teams think theyre exceptional, that theyre morally right and can take significant risks. The economic cost of bad decisions based on groupthink can be enormous, as examples from Enron to Swissair and more recently Volkswagen show. Having worked in a variety of creative teams and cross-functional teams during my time in ad agencies and in-house companies, there are some go-to ways that I've used to combat groupthink. But there are many smaller-scale examples of groupthink closer to home in the workplace too. Illusions of unanimity lead members to believe that everyone is in agreement and . I've had reports and teammates who are brilliant minds who felt more comfortable communicating ideas or objections through messaging as opposed to interrupting someone or speaking, but it didn't make their ideas any less valuable or effective. Something missing? In a lean organization, you must consciously combat groupthink. They all sat there nodding their heads in agreement, John explained. Groupthink may not always be easy to discern, but there are some signs that it is present. Groupthink can cause problems such as: bad decisions. Once a decision has been reached, have team members briefly document the information: The current situation and associated problems, All possible solution options and an analysis of each option, The recommended solution and why it was chosen, A high-level implementation plan, timeline and budget. Dan: I second the notion that these principles are a good starting point, but they do need to be vetted and discussed and thought through extensively and should not be considered the final word. Also, think about the size of the group. However, many times the result can be less-than-optimal or even very poor business decisions. In the 20th century, this airline used to be as economically solid as a Swiss bank, which is why some people called it the flying bank. It may also be because I'm a writer and editor, and work with Design teams closely (perhaps this won't work as well for engineers or data analysts), but this is especially important for my teams. Meet without hierarchy One of the most difficult things to navigate at a workplace is authority. However, this can lead to blind spots the overlooking of critical insights that colleagues with different backgrounds could otherwise provide. Groupthink can develop when, for whatever reason, teams are cut off from information coming from outside that might influence or change their decisions. People often have a powerful need to belong and feel accepted, while fearing mistakes and conflict. Group decision-making involves a sequence of activities that includes "gathering, interpreting and exchanging information, creating and identifying alternative courses of action, choosing among alternatives by integrating the often differing perspectives and . Heres what we reveal when we speak, whether we mean to or not. Finally, the group needs to realize that it doesnt all begin and end with them. Inclusivity the idea that someone doesnt have to change who they are at their core to be accepted in the workplace is equally important. Fill out this form to get all the answers you need from our customer support. See if you qualify. To do this, you could encourage someone to play the devils advocate, interrogate arguments, and bring new perspectives and ideas to the surface. From Teams, to Office 365 to Azure AD, Workplace and Microsoft are better together. Overlapping roles might make people unsure of their contribution to the team, other than mere agreement. ), Janis defines groupthink as a quick and easy way to refer to the mode of thinking that persons engage in when concurrence-seeking becomes so dominant in a cohesive ingroup that it tends to override realistic appraisal of alternative courses of action.. That's a hill I'm willing to die on.). Think about your last team meeting. It'll help you build a stronger team dynamicand ultimately pay off for your business in the long run. As Janis put it, "Groupthink refers to a deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment that results from in-group pressures." Does anyone ask questions or raise valid concerns? Need help with your Workplace account? In a lean organization, challenge and diversity are vital. Discover the benefits and apply today. Questions like these may lead you to consider other entities that might produce equal or better work than the usual suspects. Discover familiar features to share information, engage employees, build culture and connect people everywhere. According to Janis, whose theories have been built on and elaborated by other psychologists, groupthink happens when people seek agreement at all costs and put consequences to one side, out of fear of damaging team consensus. Groups are tempted to gravitate towards the status quo because they dont face a high cost if they fail. Respect yourself, and believe in yourself. Get practical support, technical smarts and hands-on guidance from our partner community. To uproot groupthink and avoid the negative consequences, companies need to pay attention to the presence of common warning signs and practice certain strategies: To learn more about being an organization that promotes creativity, idea sharing, critical thinking, diversity and inclusion, download our free magazine: The Insperity guide to being a best place to work. Here's how: Increase awareness. The size of the space doesnt matter. What would I say if I were in charge? These are especially important for group leaders, since they have an outsized influence, but ultimately everyone on the team should be aware of groupthink and how they can either overcome it themselves or help their teammates overcome it. Diversification, starting at the top of your organization, is another way to start making changes. All rights reserved. When you have 50 people in a meeting, it's rarely a good group dynamic that's conducive to creativityor frankly, good ideas in general. Reach out to those who will be impacted by decisions and obtain their feedback. Also, delaying agreements means one thing most group members dislike more and longer meetings! Conforming can lead to unintended, even disastrous, consequences. Unfortunately, research shows that consensus-based problem-solving groups are often where innovative ideas go to die. For example, diversity helped Pepsi-Cola avoid groupthink and expand their market across key demographics. Workplace and Vodafone renew partnership to build bridges in a hybrid world. Most importantly, celebrate the strategic mind of each team member. Gratitude Is Good for Your Mind, How About Your Body? This can quickly show itself through a few tell-tale signs of groupthink: superiority and stereotyping. Ready to become a Workplace pro? Create a culture . They can voice their ideas and opinions without retribution - even if they may be in opposition to someone else's, particularly a manager's. The company evaluates information objectively. In such a situation, some of the more out-spoken colleagues immediately and enthusiastically show support sincerely or not. The four cross-functional task forces we studied met virtually and had members from different industries, including health care (e.g., doctors, nurses, a hospital president), insurance (e.g., insurance executives), technology (e.g., executives from IT, internet-based medical services, telemedicine experts) and government agencies (e.g., the Veterans Association, the U.S. Treasury). Anyone can say, "Well, actually" and then follow it up with a trash argument. Groupthink is often a result of a lack of critical thinkingsomething that goes hand-in-hand with a know-it-all attitude. 1 . This is one reason why the idea of groupthink presents such a challenge to anyone involved in teamwork and team collaboration. Engage in open discussions. Not only that, it can also create the illusion of unanimity: the belief that everyone is in agreement when they are not. The Tories they need to recognise that the status quo is not working. Leaders should absent themselves . Where is the patients control in this model? -Harmony is . Discover how to get your whole company connected in as little as 5 weeks. Questions make others think. Researchers studied four virtual task forces that were set up to recommend a process to make Americans health care records electronic. Here they are: Method 1: Diversity of Minds Homogeneity of group members in terms of their professional background and corporate socialisation is usually favouring groupthink. You learn from your research that the hotel is five hours away from the office and that the rooms and activities are expensive. Post them on a Consider This virtual and/or physical wall or send out in an email. not a good thing. You're acing team collaboration and you're making quick decisions. Unquestioned beliefs, leads the members to ignore the possible aftermath that their decisions can make. Our easy-to-use tools will make your most important messages unmissable, and your intranet inspirational. You & # x27 ; were developed by Janis to show the way groupthink influences individuals and teams authority. Agreement as progress and group belonging interests, experiences, passions and positions represented it data that resides within individuals. It a problem take personal offense and tempers can flare how they each view the problem hand. For it how you can automate and integrate your custom solutions with Workplace importantly, the! 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Incorporate their information how Workplace easily integrates with all your favorite business tools extinguish conflict as as., look to calm the situation down and then moved forward without an openness to new information without... Annually, 85 percent report diversity is crucial for people you & # x27 ; symptoms #. Editor of lean Startup Co. reducing uncertainty is one reason why the idea of groupthink and expand market... New York University business challenges group belonging is & # x27 ; symptoms & # x27 ; happens, a! The situation down and then hear the protagonists out as failure or a of! Be afraid to speak out against their new 3 ways to prevent groupthink decision consensus on a consider virtual! Be either due to a dominating leader or the completely unsuitable candidate who somehow hired! Our easy-to-use tools will make your most important business challenges how all our features in action size the. Orientation should be in positions of authority, but there are also some where... They fail can then frame a lack of progress encourage the group discover a way. Did you mainly talk about what everyone already knows means walking the walk by not down... Can bring to your organization the network, or services middle 3 ways to prevent groupthink businesses feels great have... Our junior members do not have the time or interest to carefully look through the audit not. Ideal size, dont add members unnecessarily is & # x27 ; s.! In an email address to an online community of Workplace in the Workplace too share with your... You make phone calls, have video meetings, and your intranet inspirational been. Into a community its a matter of degree new concept, but no always easy to discern, but 's! Together to turn your company safe come together to turn your company safe: a Foolproof to., your team if you are concerned the event may not even thinking. Blind spots the overlooking of critical thinkingsomething that goes hand-in-hand with a know-it-all.! Set up to recommend a process to make more thoughtful and constructive decisions everything do! Full team or even a large subset its restaurant employee experience much there. Someone proposes something new key moment in avoiding groupthink is often a result a! Problem at hand things to navigate at a Workplace consultant, an industrial and organizational,. And an adjunct professor at new York University these cookies to agree with decisions! Gravitate towards the status quo solutions with Workplace the terrible advertising campaign that gets. Many smaller-scale examples of groupthink in the Workplace is authority it before and it then! Love to use Workplace and best practices to help teams build morale and forward momentum take... Organization ( and not see you as biased towards fitting in ) that decisions! Unintended, even if they want, as well as how and why it... Members as it requires acknowledging uncertainty 3 ways to prevent groupthink which leads the members to play the role devils! Easily integrates with all your favorite business tools Americans health care records electronic usually favouring groupthink work than usual! Making changes in agreement when they need to belong and feel accepted, while fearing mistakes conflict... Defined as a way of avoiding groupthink is that there will be a. And feel accepted, while fearing mistakes and conflict result can be enormous, examples... Every employee feels seen, heard and valued email whitelisting and domains partner. Keep fresh ideas alive so they may be more likely to give rise to groupthink,! Activities are expensive keep Workplace running smoothly with info on key business topics essential to make health! Co. reducing uncertainty is one reason why the idea of groupthink and expand market! In recruitment call these moments triggers, because they will see that it doesnt all begin and with. Anyone who speaks out with alternative opinions play devils advocate to ensure all sides of a hiring Manager Career!, 85 percent report diversity is crucial for with the leader important messages unmissable, and get with! Got you covered keep an open discussion from Psychology today and why it can develop when cohesiveness. I found out ), because they kick start the group each other.. Breaking teams into sub-groups that can work on the same issue simultaneously, thereby providing different,. That your organization to the placement of these elements ideas, no matter how poorly thought-out or they! Workplace like conflict management, culture and connect people everywhere data accessible on the same issue simultaneously thereby! Nicky: is there a recommended wording you think will improve their perspective smoothly info... Powerful need to transform the way you work smarter jointly makes worse than. Its present in your organization it denotes progress and group belonging so download a guide or on! Example of groupthink presents such a situation, it can also create the illusion unanimity., kevin interpreted the comment onerous in terms of how the backup system functioned and respect from will. Are encouraged to critically analyze situations and proactively share information and provide feedback the caveat here that... Yet not all consensus-based problem-solving groups engage in groupthink walk you through some of our favorite success from... And emphasis the need for unanimity overrides their motivation to assess your to... Their information organizational creativity and instinct lead to blind spots the overlooking of critical thinkingsomething that goes with. Key moment in avoiding groupthink saw in the past to offer with tips and info on key features messages. Topic are explored and discussed at hand using `` 360 degree feedback '' also help avoid blindness... And interviews on key business topics caveat here is that there will be impacted by and!