Academic Leadership: Fundamental Building Blocks
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Groupthink
Groupthink can hamper a group’s effectiveness and lead to more errors than is usual or
necessary. It is associated with the enforcement of norms influenced (sometimes
unknowingly) by both the formal and informal leadership of the group. Pressure to
conform or a desire to align with and please leadership may cause the group members
to adopt a decision which is clearly not in the best interests of the program. As
Academic Coordinator, you will need to monitor your and others’ influences on the
group's decisions, in order to avoid ‘groupthink’ in relation to any decision. The danger is
that you or someone else who is regarded well by the group will take a tentative proposal
to a group for genuine consultation. In their desire to please you, or as a result of flawed
logic, several members will support the decision immediately. Others will almost
immediately fall into line (one or two may express reservations but be immediately and
strongly overruled by the majority) and there will be no debate or rigorous questioning of
the original proposal. A bad decision is more likely to be made, because of the effect of
groupthink. All group decisions should thus be debated and well thought through, to
ensure that the wisdom of all group members is harnessed and used to assist in
improving the performance of the program.
Carlopio, Andrewartha, and Armstrong (1997) suggest a number of signs that might
alert an Academic Coordinator that groupthink phenomenon is operating within a group:
- Rationalisation – group members rationalise away threats to an emerging
consensus. They might say ‘The reason they don’t agree with us is ....’
- Direct pressure – members apply sanctions and direct pressure on those who
disagree with the emerging consensus to force them into the normative group. They
might say ‘If you don’t agree then .....’
- Mind-guarding – members protect the group from alternative, disturbing ideas.
They might say ‘Don’t listen to them. They don’t understand what it’s really like.’
- Illusion of unanimity – it is assumed that if someone does not speak they are in
agreement with the group's growing normative decision. Consensus is assumed
when the most vocal members are in agreement but some members have remained
silent.
- Self–censorship – members who may have alternative points of view actively avoid
moving away from the group consensus that is building.
Academic Coordinators can manage groupthink in several ways. These include:
- Assigning one group member as critical friend – their job is to be the devil’s advocate
who challenges every opinion put forward.
- The team leader does not express any preferred position at the beginning of the
discussion.
- Sub-groups are formed to provide alternative proposals.
- Outside experts are invited to review and critique the group’s decision.
- The decision is revisited after a day or a week and ‘second thoughts’ are actively
encouraged.
It is also worth remembering that larger groups tend to intimidate people, especially
those that are more introverted and reflective. Because of the groupshift and groupthink
phenomena, individuals with valid reservations and alternative perspectives may not be
