The dangers of promoting groupthink among leaders

 The dangers of promoting groupthink among leaders

As we see in today's politics and government, groupthink may cause bad decision-making, hindered innovation, and a lack of responsibility when it takes hold in an organization.

By avoiding groupthink, SMEs may foster creativity, make better choices, and retain a positive workplace culture.

As we've covered in the last few columns, leadership is a broad notion that includes directing a team or organization toward its objectives. Success requires good leadership, yet there are several faults that might be damaging to one's leadership style. I've already spoken about a few of them. The promotion of groupthink is yet another error in leadership.

Groupthink is a phenomena in which members of a group prioritize harmony and agreement above independent thought and critical thinking. I'll talk about the risks of promoting groupthink in leadership in this essay.

Irving Janis first used the word "groupthink" in the 1970s, and it refers to a set of behaviors that include self-censorship, collective rationalization, the delusion of invulnerability, and the conviction that group morality is intrinsic.

As we see in today's politics and government, groupthink may cause bad decision-making, inhibited innovation, and a lack of responsibility inside an organization.

Promoting groupthink will have a number of negative effects. Among the most important is making bad decisions. A leader who fosters an atmosphere that discourages differing voices will fail to critically assess ideas and alternatives. Group members could follow the prevailing opinion in order to fit in, which might lead to poorly considered actions. This might result in strategies that are erroneous and eventually hurt the success of the organization.

The 1986 Challenger Space Shuttle catastrophe is a sad example of this. There was pressure on NASA engineers to launch the shuttle despite reservations about the O-rings' susceptibility to low temperatures. Reluctant engineers remained silent for fear of a lack of agreement. This is the risk associated with suppressing opposing opinions while making decisions on delicate issues.

Next is stifling innovation. Innovation is essential to every enterprise's development. Groupthink discourages original and novel ideas and encourages uniformity, which stifles creativity and innovation. When a group of people all agree and don't question the existing quo, the organization can lose out on ground-breaking inventions and expansion prospects.

Once a leader in the photographic business, Kodak is a prime illustration of how groupthink can result in lost opportunities. Because they placed too much focus on their picture film business, Kodak overlooked the promise of digital photography. Its insolvency resulted from digital photography being the new standard.

Lack of responsibility comes in third. Promoting groupthink results in a lack of personal responsibility. When members of the group follow the consensus without doing their own independent analysis, it becomes difficult to assign choices or behaviors to particular people.

This issue is mostly the result of SMEs dispersing responsibilities around the organization.

Several financial firms engaged in reckless behavior during the US financial crisis of 2008, which aided in the collapse of the world economy. Groupthink was a major factor, with senior executives and staff members following the crowd and thinking that their behavior was OK because "everyone else was doing it."

An organization's resulting culture of insularity and uniformity may be harmful. Dissension may be seen as disloyalty in a setting where people are discouraged from challenging the status quo.

This might eventually result in a dysfunctional organization that is unable to adjust to changing circumstances and is resistant to change.

The tragic example is the fall of Enron in 2001. The company's management suppressed any criticism or dissent in favor of a culture of unquestioning allegiance. In the end, this resulted in dishonest financial practices and the demise of a once-powerful company.

Effective leadership requires eschewing the pitfall of fostering groupthink and fostering a climate of diverse viewpoints and critical thought.

For SME leaders who want to imitate exceptional leadership abilities, consider the following advice:

>> Encourage staff members to express their thoughts, even if they diverge from the general consensus. Seek disconfirmation bias from the lowest level and accept constructive criticism as the standard.

Incorporate diversity into teams by considering aspects like as education, background, and culture.

>> Designate a team member to act as the "devil's advocate" in each crucial meeting by questioning accepted wisdom.

>> Promote independent analysis by assigning staff members to carry out independent study prior to approval or disapproval.

To make objective conclusions, use organized decision-making techniques like a BCG matrix, PESTEL analysis, and SWOT analysis.

Encourage open communication among staff members within the company to make it simpler for them to provide feedback.

Rotate team leadership positions on a regular basis. Nepotism and dominance in decision-making are avoided as a result.

Think about using technology to provide anonymity for suggestions and comments. People will be able to air their disagreements without worrying about reprisals because to this.

>> Seek outside experts to get other viewpoints since they may provide insightful analysis and refute internal presumptions.

Honor critical thinking by praising and thanking staff members for their significant contributions.

Think back on previous errors and inspire others to grow from them.

Observe how the group interacts during meetings and keep a look out for indications of groupthink, such as self-censorship and conformity.

Incorporating these strategies and striving to avoid groupthink may help SMEs make better choices, spur innovation, and preserve a positive workplace culture.