Going against the grain is an incredibly difficult task. When the majority of those around you feel one way about something it's hard to speak up and admit you feel differently. In the business world this concept is called groupthink. Groupthink's suppressive power can play a major role in the failure and waste of funds on new ventures or products that "flop." I have been guilty of going along with groupthink many a time. I think it's safe to say most people have. That's why I'd like to more closely examine the phenomenon in order to avoid such instances in the future.
In my opinion one of the greatest examples of the perils of groupthink may be witnessed in nature. One need not look further than lemmings (a type of small rodent) to observe the dangers of following a crowd. Lemmings travel in large groups and will follow each other off the edge of cliffs if it means staying together. I think such is the case with many businesses around the world. The ideas accepted by the majority of coworkers tend to be the ideas individual employees will claim to agree with, even if they actually believe them to be mistakes. It's simply natural for individuals to fear voicing their unpopular opinion to a large group. The possibility of criticism and judgment is enough to silence a most staunchly opposed individual. The problem with this passive omission of thoughts and ideas is when they are the very ideas that would prevent disastrous business decisions.
Although groupthink may seem like an unsurmountable issue for businesses there are steps that may be taken to lessen its harmful effects. It seems to me as though the best way to combat the issue is to create an organizational culture that is open and conducive to the sharing of employees's individual ideas and opinions. When employees feel as though their opinions are valued they are far more likely to face the fear of challenging proposed ideas that they feel may not be best for the company. To create such an organizational culture, I believe the management department of the business should welcome open discussions in as relaxed a manner/environment as possible. With a welcoming and nonjudgmental environment and culture groupthink should be diminished considerably.
As for the individual suffering from the suppressive forces of groupthink, there are ways to lessen the effects as well. It seems to me the best way to tackle the fear of judgement is to gain confidence in oneself. To gain confidence one may strike a power pose for a minute before entering a meeting (see TED talk clip below for tips and explanation). Another great confidence booster may be to run one's ideas past trusted friends and family members to fully formulate thoughts before running them by coworkers. No matter the technique, with confidence comes the ability to speak up and challenge the majority's idea/plan.
After reading about groupthink in my marketing class, I have decided to make more of a conscious effort not to keep myself from sharing my thoughts out of fear of judgement. I think that everyone's thoughts are valuable and should be shared. I see myself sharing more each day with my friends, classmates, and professors; I find it relieving to not keep my opinions hidden for fear of judgement. In some cases, as is the goal of speaking up and eliminating groupthink, my contributions to planning have prevented potential pitfalls.
Though the phenomenon of groupthink, and its negative repercussions pose a challenge for businesses everywhere, companies need not fear. Through the creation of an open organizational culture, as well as work on the individual employee's part to gain confidence, groupthink may be virtually eliminated. With groupthink gone, companies may reap the rewards of a sharing and challenging of ideas that help avoid disastrous final decisions. It only takes one to speak up and make a beneficial change.
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