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Groupthink... Is Your Group Truly Thinking?
Groupthink....hmmm, I know I have heard that somewhere…. groupthink…group = an assembly of people…think= thought, ideas, etc.
Aha! Groupthink must be when a group uses all of their collective knowledge to come to a decision! Right? Well…unfortunately not so much. Groupthink can be defined as a phenomenon that happens when a group of individuals collectively reaches a consensus without critical evaluation. This may not seem like the worst thing ever because everyone has been actively a part of groupthink. Think back to those dreaded school group projects. Usually someone is or appointed themselves as a leader, without discussion happening the leader decides to make a unilateral choice for the group. If no one opposes, groupthink has happened. What are the Consequences? So why is that bad? Groupthink is bad because power goes to the leader and away from the group members. It creates the perfect environment for 4 key consequences. 1)Lack of Creativity Without diversity in a group’s decision-making process, solutions are uncreative and suboptimal. 2)Overconfidence Overconfidence leads to clouded judgement. It is hard to see through one’s ego when they think their decision is the only way something can/should be accomplished. 3)Optimal Solutions Overlooked The most effective way to do something often is overlooked if only one idea is proposed. Usually, the first idea is not the best! 4)Broken Chain of Communication Without discussion, the communication chain is broken. You are missing the feedback! It is vital to test, improve, or find an even better idea. What are the Signs? It’s tricky to spot groupthink. Irving Janis, a social psychologist, was able to identify 8 symptoms of groupthink: 1. Invulnerability This is felt within the group because they believe they have strength in numbers. This appealing sense of belonging is why most give up voicing individual thoughts. 2. Rationale Individuals avoid rational thought because it might lead them to dissolve the leader’s viewpoint. 3. Illusion of Morality Members support the morality of the group and lose sight of their own personal morals. 4. Stereotypes Strength in numbers leads to group members having very similar views about outsiders who have different views. 5. Pressure Pressure is put directly on individuals who express concern or doubt against the group’s ideology/ decision. They fear becoming an outsider. 6. Self-censorship Avoiding backlash from group members by not saying anything against the group view. 7. Illusion of Unanimity Relief that the majority view and judgements shared are unanimous. 8. Mind Guards Group members unknowingly protect the group’s decisions and its leader when threatened by outside forces. How to Avoid: There are 5 things that can be done to avoid groupthink: 1)Plan for it If you know it is a potential possibility, it is less likely to sneak up on the group. 2)Debate, Debate, Debate! Have a discussion that includes more than one or two viewpoints. Evolve as many points as possible. 3)Diversify (Active Outreach) Bring different personalities and people into the group. Find individuals who do not think like you. It is hard to have a unanimous decision when there are different thinkers at the table. 4)Know Biases Exist- Everywhere! Keep in mind that everything is skewed in one way or another. Even facts and data have the potential to be swayed one way or another. 5)Speed is a Demon Groupthink is most likely to occur when decisions are made in tight timelines with little time for debate or discussion. Slow down, hash it out. Conclusion: Groupthink is a tricky situation to maneuver. Take time to make sure your group has diversity, differences, and debate. Allow open communication and limit the flow of authority, so conversation may flow freely. Avoid habits of groupthink and your group will be making stronger decisions with deeper, positive impact. |
"A community that doesn’t smell like fresh paint or sound like nail guns has cancer."
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Cobalt Community Research is a national 501c3 nonprofit, non-partisan coalition that helps local governments, schools and membership organizations measure, benchmark, and affordably engage communities through high-quality metrics, mobile geofencing data, surveys, and dynamic population segmentation. Cobalt combines big data with local insights to help organizations thrive as changes emerge in the economic, demographic and social landscape. Explore how we can help by calling 877.888.0209, or by emailing [email protected].
Cobalt Community Research is a national 501c3 nonprofit, non-partisan coalition that helps local governments, schools and membership organizations measure, benchmark, and affordably engage communities through high-quality metrics, mobile geofencing data, surveys, and dynamic population segmentation. Cobalt combines big data with local insights to help organizations thrive as changes emerge in the economic, demographic and social landscape. Explore how we can help by calling 877.888.0209, or by emailing [email protected].