Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Can you tell when Groupthink is happening at work?
We all know that Groupthink could be a major inhibitor to progress and could even work to the determent of the organization. However, for many reasons such as wanting acceptance, to perceived promotion opportunities (agree with the boss), to the simple fact that like minds attract each other Groupthink happens. How can you watch out for that and what are some of ways you have prevented that challenge and have been successful?
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My list of symptoms is based on one from two leading researchers in the field of teamwork (Manz & Sims):
ReplyDeleteo Illusion of Invulnerability.
o Collective Pessimism (the opposite of the Illusion of Invulnerability).
o Collective Rationalization.
o Illusion of Morality.
o Shared Stereotypes.
o Direct Pressure.
o Self-Censorship.
o Illusion of Unanimity.
o Self-Appointed Mindguards (people who censor information that goes against team decisions).
Solutions include bringing outsiders into discussions, using formal problem-solving techniques, asking a team member to serve as "devil's advocate," and requiring the team to present multiple options when manager approval is required.