Whenever two or more people meet to make a
decision, a number of complex group dynamics
come into play. Sometimes those group
dynamics operate to create a situation where
the best possible decision is not made. This
can occur for several reasons. One of the
common group effects is the group-think
phenomenon. This occurs when group members
feel that it is more useful to go along with
an idea presented, than to suggest their
own, or criticize or comment on the ideas of
others. As a result good ideas and solutions
may never be placed on the table, and the
decision that appears to be supported may
not be “optimized”, since there is little
attempt to make it better.
In extreme cases, this
groupthink process can move to the point
where the final decision is one that is not
supported by anyone in the group, and each
member thinks that the others support the
idea. You can use the following tips,
whether at work or at home, to ensure that
decisions are made that everyone can live
with.
Group-Think
Antidotes
If you are leading a
group in the decision-making process, make
sure that you highlight the importance of
looking at the pros and cons of any ideas
under consideration. Set the tone by
focusing on the issues, and not that people
disagree.
When people support an
idea with general statements such as “I
think that's a good way to go, encourage
them to explain why they believe the idea is
a good one. Another tactic is to ask those
that support the idea to critique it; find
the weak points.
Treat pros and cons of
ideas equally, particularly if it is your
idea under discussion. Feel free to advocate
for your position, but advocacy, on its own,
can overpower reason. Keep in mind that
although you believe in your idea, it may
not be the best of all possible solutions.
Time constraints tend to
result in increased pressure to agree. While
occasionally, fast decision-making is
needed, keep in mind that people will be
less likely to raise objections if they feel
that raising objections would result in
delaying the process.
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