The pros and cons of groupthink

What is groupthink

Groupthink is a phenomenon in which ways of addressing problems or matters are dealt with by the consensus of a group rather than by individuals acting independently.  Groupthink mainly occurs when a group makes wrong or ineffective decisions just in order to reach an agreement.

Advantages of group thinking

• Promotes the exchange of information among group members

The most important advantage of the groupthink process is that it removes silos on your team. People are encouraged to share information with each other because every opinion is valid. With this structure, it becomes possible to take into account a wide range of information because there are multiple points of view involved in every discussion. Everyone has the opportunity to contribute their unique expertise and experience to the final solution.

• Creates the basis for a better decision

When a group comes together to make a decision collectively, the judgment of everyone involved makes the process smarter and more creative. If someone is tasked with doing it alone, people can ask questions, collaborate, and discuss many ideas together as a way to identify solid solutions and complete recommendations.

This design makes it possible to observe a problem from different points of view, and this is the basis for a better decision. Even if the leader is tasked with making the final decision, this feature can help that person have more wisdom available to them for the process.

• It can lead to a central location

When the process of groupthink is an essential component of any decision to be made, it usually moves the solution from an extreme position to a middle position. One individual directing an entire team down a path that everyone sees as wrong without being able to do anything about the situation.

• Creates more investment in the mission and vision of the team

When people have an opportunity to take responsibility for a decision or situation, they are more likely to invest themselves in the end result. There is greater commitment to decisions made through the group decision-making process because this effort encourages people to invest. It creates a spirit of cooperation that leads to a higher ethical level for the team. Over time, even if the result does not meet expectations, the group is willing to work together to achieve a better overall result.

• Promotes higher levels of job satisfaction

When teams adhere to the groupthink process, there is generally a higher rate of individual job satisfaction, and when people are happier about going to work, there is a direct relationship to the quality of communication that occurs in the workplace.

Everyone gets the opportunity to learn from each other, thus increasing the amount of knowledge they can use in everyday life. This makes it possible to cross-train in some situations to continue high levels of productivity even if someone is absent.

Disadvantages of groupthink

• It takes longer to come to a decision

Group decision-making is less efficient from a timing perspective because there are multiple voices involved. Each person has the opportunity to contribute their views and experiences to the larger conversation. This requires more time than one person would because there is more coordination, discussion, and participation. Unless there is a leader who can effectively facilitate this process, it is easier for teams to get lost in the minutiae of details than to deal with the general situation.

• They can make everyone believe that they are taking a leading role in the organisation

Every organization relies on the leadership team to make effective decisions for everyone working on the company's mission or vision, and when you incorporate group decision-making, everyone on that team is given a part of that leadership role.

Although some individuals accept this responsibility as intended, many use the process as a way to extend their real or perceived power in a team environment, and this can result in reduced creativity because it discourages some team members from sharing their ideas and opinions.

• It can lead to a lower level of responsibility and accountability

When you put together a group to brainstorm a solution, everyone but them will be quick to take credit for a successful experiment. If a bad decision results from the process, it is easier for individual members to deny any personal responsibility for the results achieved. Being in a group situation makes it easier to blame others for poor results.

• It depends on the experience of each member to be successful

If you bring people together in a group situation, it does not guarantee that you will have a successful collaboration experience. The benefits that are available through the group decision-making process only subside when there is enough experience and expertise in the group to solve the problem. When people can only offer opinions instead of Facts for discussion, the probability of a bad outcome increases under this situation.

The group must have the ability to recognize problems, obstacles and solutions that need to be effective when brainstorming a situation.

• It can be a process that leads to polarization

There are times when a group's decision may be inappropriate to the necessary solutions to a problem under consideration. The individuals involved may move towards an extreme solution rather than taking a middle approach. When this happens the stakes for the entire team in the future are increased, although there is the potential for enormous rewards because of this. However, it can also provide disruptive elements to workplace culture.

• Can be affected by personal conflicts

Some people may choose not to participate in group decision-making efforts because they have a personality or moral conflict with other members of the team. When there is disagreement or disharmony in the process, the group is less likely to reach a decision. This disadvantage is particularly strong when turmoil occurs between leaders.

An example of groupthink

The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster is one of the most famous examples of groupthink, with devastating consequences. NASA's orbiter exploded about 73 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in 1986, killing all seven astronauts on board. .

Before liftoff, engineers expressed concerns about the ability of the seals on the rock booster to function properly in frigid temperatures.  The pressure to push the Challenger mission forward even from the White House, and repeated delays, prompted the NASA team to adopt a groupthink mindset and move forward with the mission.  Ignoring concerns and building a consensus that no one else agreed with.