Here's what I found in googling Group Think. It might...no, it will help some of you as you address topics of importance in your work. Here's what I found.
Groupthink is a concept that was identified by Irving Janis9 that refers to faulty decision-making in a group. Groups experiencing groupthink do not consider all alternatives and they desire unanimity at the expense of quality decisions. Learn more about groupthink and then complete the interactive exercise at the end of the discussion.
Conditions
Groupthink occurs when groups are highly cohesive and when they are under considerable pressure to make a quality decision.
Negative outcomes
Some negative outcomes of groupthink include:
Examining few alternatives
Not being critical of each other's ideas
Not examining early alternatives
Not seeking expert opinion
Being highly selective in gathering information
Not having contingency plans
Symptoms
Some symptoms of groupthink are:
Having an illusion of invulnerability
Rationalizing poor decisions
Believing in the group's morality
Sharing stereotypes which guide the decision
Exercising direct pressure on others
Not expressing your true feelings
Maintaining an illusion of unanimity
Using mindguards to protect the group from negative information
Solutions
Some solutions include:
Using a policy-forming group which reports to the larger group
Having leaders remain impartial
Using different policy groups for different tasks
Dividing into groups and then discuss differences
Discussing within sub-groups and then report back
Using outside experts
Using a Devil's advocate to question all the group's ideas
Holding a "second-chance meeting" to offer one last opportunity to choose another course of action
1 comment:
Wow! This is valuable and excellent. We spent the last three Wednesday nights examining what it means to love each other when we disagree, including when that disagreement includes a person who says "I will be offended if you do that" or who truly would violate their conscience if they participated in a ministry or activity that others decide to do.
From 1 Cor 8 we all know not to do something that will cause someone to sin, but it does not say to drop anything that anyone might object to. From 1 Cor 10 and Romans 14, we covered some new ground that the church here said they had never seen or heard before: what does it mean to love others when you are the objector? Paul clearly states not to do anything yourself that would be a sin for you to do (by violating your own conscience). He also teaches not to put an obstacle in the way of others who want to do something that does not violate their conscience, that God has given them freedom to do. Do not hold them in contempt, do not slander, do not judge, and do not put a stumbling block.
It was eye-opening for us all! We have been controlled by objectors (and by even bigger things like Group Think) rather than Jesus. But God is patient and let's us learn our lessons. And praise God for His Word that is always there to guide us on the right path.
Thanks for sharing this Terry!
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