We All Have The Ability To Think

Organizations are susceptible to ‘groupthink’ which will influence the consideration of values. Groupthink was a term coined by Janis (1972) when he identified that in some groups people do not consider alternatives, thereby placing limits on decision making. In such groups, he argued, there is pressure for everyone to agree with each other. This might mean that individuals are conflict–avoiding rather than conflict–resolving (Scott Peck, 1987). When people are conflict–avoiding it means that the preservation of superficial harmony is given precedence over critical evaluation of ideas and values. This in turn might mean that an option is given the go–ahead even though the outcome might be the exploitation of others (for instance the use of
child labour to produce garments for the clothing industry).

The value base of an organization runs through all aspects, from the product or service being offered to marketing, accounting and management style. These in turn affect the loyalty, honesty and integrity of the employees. For example, an employee may be dismissed or have legal action taken against them for stealing. The other employees will take note of this and recognize that boundaries have been created and reinforced. These actions need to be congruent throughout the organization so that when a Director has been dishonest and it is sufficiently serious, they do not get a ‘golden handshake’, but instead are similarly dismissed. This will engender a sense of fairness amongst the workforce and loyalty and commitment will be maintained.

Do you have examples where there was a beneficial outcome when an individual used their power to make a difference and went against group think? Do you have a positive experience to share when a group or team moved from being conflict- avoiding to conflict-resolving, with a positive outcome for all? Write a comment and share your experiences.

If you are interested in learning more about building effective relationships then come to our next Advanced Communication Skills, level 1, (Incorporating the Official Introducation to TA), on 8-10 March 2011. Or, for further information contact: Mountain Associates, www.mountain-associates.co.uk