Like us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterNewsmaker Alert is on Pinterest
Back To News/PR Index
|
|
|
Association News
|
Avoiding Groupthink, by Timothy Schneider, Publisher, Association News
|
Avoiding Groupthink, by Timothy Schneider, Publisher, Association NewsLos Angeles, CA – October 2014 / Newsmaker Alert / A certain level of cohesion must exist on the board of any association. But when the desire for action overrides common sense, critical evaluation and accurate analysis, board members can veer into the dangerous terrain of what is known as “groupthink,” a term coined in 1972 by Irving Janis, a research psychologist from Yale University. Groupthink happens on some level at all associations. It occurs when board members check their experience at the door and support each other in making decisions as a group that they would never make as individuals running their own organizations.

To maintain a healthy association, volunteer leaders need to be mindful of when groupthink is occuring. A warning flag should be raised when decisions are reached quickly and without much deliberation. If you notice these phenomena occurring regularly in your board meetings, your board could be susceptible to groupthink, and it’s crucial to reevaluate your board’s approach immediately. Here are some tried and true ways to remedy the situation:

Encourage dissenting opinions without retribution. Each board member should feel that his or her opinion is valuable to the group. When groupthink occurs, members may feel like they cannot speak up for fear of being ostracized by the majority. Suggest your board members write down their thoughts on a piece of paper and keep them anonymous. The chairperson can then review the differing opinions and raise any concerns to the group. That way, the dissenters will not be singled out.

Examine the pros and cons of each decision that is reached. It should be worrisome when your board cannot identify at least a few disadvantages to what might appear to be a flawless plan. Having pros and cons enumerated and discussed allows for greater transparency. While it’s fine to acknowledge when a plan is good, someone also needs to play the role of devil’s advocate.

Perform thorough research and gather information from outside sources. Your board members have a duty of care to consider all of the information needed to make an informed decision. Performing outside research combats groupthink by forcing them to look outside of your association’s bubble and examine how other groups are handling similar issues.

Develop at least one contingency plan. This is where differing perspectives and comprehensive research will prove to be useful. After analyzing the risks, it’s important to decide how the board will respond if things do not go as planned. The board may not be eager to develop a Plan B, but this will allow them to see the holes in a plan and find ways to fill them before rather than after the fact.

Because the board of directors sets the strategic direction for an association, it’s vital to keep groupthink out of the boardroom. A well-functioning board should leverage the expertise of each of its members. After all, their particular skills and experience are presumably why they were selected for board service in the first place. And an association is more likely to thrive when it successfully exploits the knowledge and talents of each of its board members for the good of the group.
|

###
|
Timothy SchneiderTimothy Schneider is the publisher of Association News and SportsTravel magazines, which serve group travel planners responsible for generating 106 million hotel room nights annually. Schneider Publishing also organizes Meetings Quest, America's longest-running series of trade shows for meeting planners, and the TEAMS Conference & Expo, the world’s largest gathering of sports-event organizers. TEAMS '14 is being held in Las Vegas, November 10-13, 2014. For further information on advertising or sponsorship opportunities, please call toll-free 877-577-3700 or 310-577-3700 if calling from outside the United States.

The current issue of Association News can be viewed in digital format online by clicking here.
|
Association News on FacebookAssociation News on Twitter
|
Media Contact:
Timothy Schneider
310-577-3700
Schneider Publishing Company, Inc.

|
|
|
Placement Dates: 10/02/14 – 12/02/14
|
Back To News/PR Index
|
Hospitality Newsmaker Alert