Groupthink is one of the most common and nefarious decision-making traps of otherwise well-intentioned teams.

While many of us have heard of Groupthink and the historical example that is frequently cited in textbooks, the Kennedy administration’s Bay of Pigs fiasco, this decision-making trap is not just reserved for executives and Presidents.

Know the Signs:

Groupthink occurs when team members are more concerned about consensus than anything else.  Good judgment disappears, as does tolerance for doubts and doubters. The pursuit of outside information is rejected or avoided, and alternative opinions are not actively sought after.

Groups heading down this path often begin to develop a false sense of overconfidence and even an attitude of invulnerability. Doubters are pushed out of the way and requests for outside information are ignored.

5 Ideas to Stop Groupthink Before You Slide Too Far:

If you sense the slide down the slippery slope of Groupthink, there are a number of actions that can help save the day and prevent a decision-making disaster:

1. Engage outside opinions, pronto!

2. Ratchet up the robust dialogue.  Overcome the social niceties and start talking about the tough issues confronting the team.

3. Unleash the Devil’s Advocate and let him/her challenge the group’s thinking.

4. Gain help from an external facilitator and incorporate alternative methods of evaluation and idea/risk generation.  The Delphi technique or Six Hats Thinking are both powerful approaches that reduce the tendency towards aberrant group behaviors.

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Don’t fool yourself.  This trap is easy to fall into and difficult to extract yourself from once you’re caught.  Learn the signs and take quick action to save the day and the decision!