Groupthink is a phenomenon whereby team members follow the opinion of the majority, as they do not want to disagree with the team’s consensus. Some of the risks of groupthink can include making faulty decisions, an inability to evaluate alternatives, failure to make contingency plans, as well as having a work environment that does not value rich discussions or opportunities for people to provide their input.
An article penned by HRM New Zealand explores the ways in which businesses can minimise the opportunities for groupthink occurring. These include promoting both gender and culture diversity in teams, which will help with having different perspectives on discussions. Having a team culture where all members of your team can freely speak their mind also helps to mitigate the risk, as different perspectives will be able to be discussed and debated.
If you are interested in reading more about groupthink, click here.
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