Companies want innovators and problem-solvers. Teammates who consistently demonstrate these skills are more likely to experience better rewards and increased job opportunities. If a team works on projects collaboratively, avoiding groupthink becomes even more critical. Research conducted by Walden University shows that groupthink may be the primary reason why projects do not accomplish their objectives.
When team members cannot effectively make tactical decisions, they struggle to meet their own professional goals and fail to support the overall project and business strategies. Unfortunately, it took 25 years for the medical establishment to abandon the deadly practice. Why was Dr. Stewart alone so convinced of her conclusion when the medical establishment refused to believe her data?
Her proof was based on a model called active disconfirmation. Stewart wrong. Groupthink thrives when there is no conflict, therefore its natural combatant is a healthy opposition.
This provides the necessary critical counter-perspective to prove the final outcome is the right one. This is yet another reason why an inclusive work environment is so important. Today, most of us understand the significance of diversity in the workplace and know that it is a key influence to contest unilateral points of view.
Different people, with different backgrounds and life experiences, will naturally approach problems from varied perspectives. Janet Stovall explains, not until one-third of a group is made up of minority voices will they begin to be heard.
Diversity is a numbers game. Inclusion is about impact. Companies can mandate diversity, but they have to cultivate inclusion. If it is not possible to make new and diverse hires in the short term, seek varied perspectives and viewpoints that you do have access to.
Or look further and reach into other departments. Focus on incorporating people who are knowledgeable and unafraid to speak up. Another way to do this is to invite outside experts to share their perspectives or provide content that a team can react to.
If your team is stuck, share thought leader webinars that may spark inspiration and new ideas. Nothing feels more defeating than having an opinion but not trusting that it will be valued by others. Janis talked about what he called directive leaders - those who are wedded to their views to the exclusion of others. Groupthink can develop when, for whatever reason, teams are cut off from information coming from outside that might influence or change their decisions.
Teams that lack diversity can make assumptions about many things and lack alternative perspectives to challenge biases. Overlapping roles might make people unsure of their contribution to the team, other than mere agreement. 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. One of the best ways to challenge groupthink is to stop it before it starts - so organizations should consider it when putting teams together.
Just as homogeneity can be one contributor to groupthink, team diversity can mitigate against it. People from different backgrounds offer different perspectives, so they may be less likely to slip into comfortable consensus. Look for a mix of personalities that can bounce off each other too. Assigning clear roles to each member is also important. Also, think about the size of the group. Leadership is the key to creating a genuinely collaborative group. Groupthink is less likely to happen where open leadership solicits, welcomes, and values different views.
So one trick for leaders who want to discourage groupthink is to avoid speaking first in meetings. And leaders can even not attend some group meetings altogether, leaving the group feeling freer about having an open discussion. To avoid groupthink, resist the temptation to extinguish conflict as soon as it arises. Instead, look to calm the situation down and then hear the protagonists out.
Sometimes team members can be shy of saying what they feel. This is when you might have to encourage debate so the group can start looking at a problem from different angles. Janis also had the idea of breaking teams into sub-groups that can work on the same issue simultaneously, thereby providing different perspectives.
They may not always be able to provide all the necessary information to make the right decision. Look for outside perspectives, bringing people from different teams and other experts into the group to present their views and inform deliberations. Get the latest news and insights from the frontline of work.
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More and more of us are and will be working remotely. Discover the pros and cons of remote working and how to make the most of it. Not only does this approach foster camaraderie between employees, it fuels a competitive atmosphere where the best ideas can win. Step 5: Thoroughly examine all alternatives: Once your group has compiled a list of ideas or solutions, submit those ideas to a standardized method of evaluation that answers questions such as: How does this idea support the goal?
What are the costs? What are the risks? If the solutions being discussed are sensitive, then ask them to talk to a specific and trusted leader inside the company. So go ahead, kick groupthink to the curb and give yourself a Highfive. We hope you enjoyed our tips on how to eliminate groupthink! Get a bi-weekly blog post on IT, the conference room, and all things video conferencing delivered right to your inbox. The Highfive Product and Engineering team has been hard at work on the big items that have become most important to our customers since they started doing most of their work from home.
After observing what has happened over the last few days since the death of George Floyd, the latest victim of police brutality against African Americans, I knew I wanted to say something. Complementary to reimagining the in-room video conferencing experience, Highfive has reimagined the management of video conferencing by offering free and unlimited user licenses.
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