In today’s fast-paced work environment, groupthink poses a significant threat to thoughtful decision making.
Groupthink, characterized by the suppression of diverse viewpoints in favor of unanimity, can stifle innovation and creativity. When groupthink takes over, teams often reach consensus without critical reasoning or evaluating the consequences or alternatives, resulting in suboptimal decisions and outcomes. To counter this, leaders must cultivate inclusive leadership skills during meetings, fostering an environment of open dialogue that values and embraces diverse perspectives, experiences, backgrounds and expertise. This approach ensures more robust discussions, thoughtful decisions and better outcomes.
Apply an inclusive lens to decision-making
To approach decision-making with an inclusive lens that embraces diverse ideas and minimizes groupthink, consider these six best practices:
1. Acknowledge the limits of your personal experience
Everyone views the world through the lens of their own life experiences, which can significantly influence their actions and decisions. Recognizing these limitations is crucial. Before engaging in a discussion, take a moment to reflect on your personal beliefs, presumptions and preconceived opinions as well as any experience and knowledge gaps. During discussions, challenge yourself to listen empathetically to others before presenting your points. This self-awareness helps in identifying blind spots so you can be more open to ideas and perspectives from others.
2. Uncover the root cause of the issue
Often, the issues at hand are not what they initially appear to be. To address the real underlying concerns rather than assumed ones, engage in exercises like the “5 Whys” technique. This method involves asking “why” five times in succession to drill down to the root cause of a problem. By understanding the fundamental issues, teams can develop more effective and sustainable solutions.
3. Define criteria for success up front
Setting success criteria at the outset ensures that the decision-making process is transparent and objective. Establishing clear criteria helps prevent the rules from being adapted along the way to unintentionally favor a preferred idea or approach. These criteria should align with the company’s values, business objectives and strategic goals to ensure that the outcomes reflect what is in the best interest of the organization, rather than personal beliefs or preferences.
4. Consider who else should be consulted
Decisions are often more robust when informed by a broad and diverse range of inputs. Before finalizing a decision, pause to consult with at least one new person or alternative information source. This practice ensures that different perspectives are considered, which can reveal insights and solutions that might otherwise be overlooked.
5. Seek to understand when you don’t agree
Disagreements can be a source of valuable learning if approached with the right mindset. Too often, we are conditioned to believe that there is only one right way – our way. However, accepting that no one has a monopoly on the truth can reduce resistance when beliefs are challenged. Embracing a “both/and” mindset, as opposed to a binary “either/or” approach, allows for more nuanced and inclusive decision-making. This mindset helps teams recognize that multiple perspectives can coexist and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the issue at hand.
6. Consider what can go right
Human nature tends to focus on what can go wrong, which can lead to inaction. To counter this negative bias, make a list of what can go right in addition to what can go wrong with a decision. This balanced approach helps teams realistically evaluate the potential outcomes and often reveals that the reality lies somewhere in between the extremes.
The positive impact of inclusive decision-making
Groupthink can significantly hinder an organization’s ability to make thoughtful and effective decisions. By adopting these inclusive leadership practices in meetings, leaders can foster a culture of open dialogue and diverse perspectives. This not only minimizes the risks associated with groupthink, but also boosts engagement and collaboration, which enhance the overall quality of decisions and outcomes.
