How to Effectively Avoid Groupthink in Business Environments

This report delves into the concept of groupthink, a phenomenon where individuals prioritize harmony over critical evaluation, often leading to poor decisions in business settings. The assignment begins by defining groupthink and its potential impact on business outcomes. It then explores various strategies to mitigate groupthink, including promoting open communication, encouraging debates, avoiding early criticisms, fostering enthusiasm, and appointing diverse personalities within a group. The report emphasizes the importance of leadership in facilitating these strategies to create an environment where team members can openly share ideas, debate, and make informed decisions. The conclusion reiterates the practical application of these strategies to enhance decision-making and minimize the risks associated with groupthink in real-world business scenarios. References from academic journals and books are provided to support the claims.

Business
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................... 3
HOW TO AVOID GROUPTHINK......................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................................... 5
REFERENCES......................................................................................................................................... 6
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INTRODUCTION
Groupthink refers to an act where in individuals come together to determine an
outcome for peace or harmony through irrational methods of making decisions
(Whyte, 2015). These group members aim at minimizing conflicts, so that they can
mutually agree upon a solution while listening to everyone’s perspective. This
assignment will understand groupthink and find a solution on how it can be
successfully avoided by using a theory.
HOW TO AVOID GROUPTHINK
In a business, there are high chances of groupthink as many employees work
together and this can cause conflicts that can cause differences while making
decisions. Group members generally tend to stay away from expressing their opinions
as they feel that a negative environment will be created (Sunstein and Hastie, 2015).
They would rather focus on analysis and evaluation of data or information regarding
the topic that has to be addressed. This phenomenon states that people are afraid to
disrupt harmony of the environment, thus leading to unsuccessful decisions.
Groupthink can be avoided through various theories that team or group members can
use in a business organization. It is important for them to understand it, so that they
are able to effectively address the situation (Riccobono, Bruccoleri and Größler,
2016). This will enable them in opening up and giving their ideas, so that rational
decisions can be taken.
Groupthink can be avoided by group members through proper planning of
meetings that have to be held. The leader can allow everyone to freely express their
thoughts or opinions during the commencement of meetings. This can help in creating
and understanding between one another, which will lead to low chances of
groupthink. Generally, leaders do not ask everyone about their preferences, before
assigning tasks and this can lead to misunderstandings that will not be solved due to
this phenomenon (Phan and et.al., 2018). Planning will significantly help group to
solve problems in a proper manner and reduce risks of taking incorrect or ineffective
decisions. Leaders can encourage debates as well, in which members can get a
chance to freely debate or discuss of certain factors that they are unable to understand
and find impractical for business decisions of the organization. This will help in
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avoiding groupthink, as members can understand why it is necessary to debate about
the topic, on which decisions have to be taken. It will also aid in creating smarter
groups and teams in a company, which can lead to smooth functioning of business
activities (Kim, 2018). Debates create a healthy environment for discussing issues as
well.
Group members can avoid making criticisms at an early stage, on ideas and
opinions given by other individuals in the team. Doing this can ensure that, there are
less chances of groupthink and expression of ideas can be done freely. Members will
be able to understand everyone’s opinions, thus leading to effective and proper
decision making (Reaves, 2018). For example, when someone gives an idea about
making changes marketing, by using social media, some members can criticize this
opinion. They may say that there can be a lot of negativity by using this platform.
Confronting team members by promoting enthusiasm will help them in expressing
doubts that may arise during meetings. This will lead to equal collaboration and
contribution of each person present in the group. Being open minded can help in
avoiding groupthink, as members will feel comfortable in talking about certain issues
and problems about the topic on which discussion is being done. Leaders can too,
encourage individuals to keep an open and clear mind while listening and
participating in the meeting (Russell, Hawthorne and Buchak, 2015). For example,
members can give different opinions on how a supply chain in their organization can
be created, so that their services can be delivered on time. Listening to all the opinions
can help in creating arguments and thus leading to proper choices of decisions.
Appointing different personalities in a meeting can help business
organizations is significantly avoiding groupthink, as there will be various
perspectives that can be analyzed during the meeting. This will help in understanding
different aspects of the topic that is being discusses and therefore, leading to smart
decisions (Whyte, 2015). Absence of leaders will allow group members in effectively
making choices as there will be less influence. They will be able to clearly and
strategically analyze details so that rational decisions are taken while arguing about
opinions as well as maintaining peace and harmony in the business organization
(Strategies to Avoid Groupthink, 2016). Team members as a whole, can work together
to ascertain solutions for problems that they are facing, which will lead to effective
decision making and low risk of groupthink. These strategies, when implemented, can
lead to success of avoidance of groupthink.
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CONCLUSION
This assignment can conclude that there are different strategies that can be
used in real life situations, so that team members can avoid groupthink. It will help in
creating an environment wherein, individuals can openly discuss and debate about
ideas, so that effective decisions can be taken in a business organization.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Kim, M.J., 2018. Group Positive Affect Diversity and Group Creativity:
Mediating Role of Groupthink and Moderating Role of Affective Fit
Perception. Indian Journal of Public Health Research &
Development. 9(8).
Phan, N.Q. and et.al., 2018, July. A Study of Groupthink in Online
Community. In International Conference on Computational
Science/Intelligence & Applied Informatics (pp. 149-168). Springer,
Cham.
Reaves, J., 2018. A Study of Groupthink in Project Teams.
Riccobono, F., Bruccoleri, M. and Größler, A., 2016. Groupthink and project
performance: the influence of personal traits and interpersonal
ties. Production and Operations Management. 25(4). pp.609-629.
Russell, J.S., Hawthorne, J. and Buchak, L., 2015. Groupthink. Philosophical
studies. 172(5). pp.1287-1309.
Sunstein, C.R. and Hastie, R., 2015. Wiser: Getting beyond groupthink to make
groups smarter. Harvard Business Press.
Whyte, G., 2015. Groupthink. Wiley Encyclopedia of Management. pp.1-2.
Online
Strategies to Avoid Groupthink. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
https://www.ryanhartwig.com/9-strategies-to-avoid-groupthink/
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