Groupthink is a challenge for internal communications.
Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon where the desire for harmony and conformity within a group leads to irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcomes.
The phenomenon occurs when group members suppress dissenting viewpoints, prioritise consensus over critical evaluation, and are influenced by the group’s overriding desire to maintain a cohesive social identity.
Here we go:
Groupthink and Poor Decision-Making
Groupthink is a concept in organisational behaviour. It suggests that when a group’s cohesiveness is overly dependent on the personal appeal of its members, it is more likely to lead to poor decision-making.
This is because such a basis for cohesion can overshadow rational, critical thinking, and lead to consensus-seeking at the cost of considering diverse viewpoints or alternative solutions.
“Groupthink theory suggests poor decision-making is most likely when group cohesion is based on personal attractiveness of members, but broader and consistent use of group dynamics research can advance understanding of decision-making problems.”
Source: Organisational behavior and human decision processes 1McCauley, C. (1998). Group Dynamics in Janis’s Theory of Groupthink: Backward and Forward. Organisational behavior and human decision processes, 73 2⁄3, … Continue reading
Effective internal communication strategies can introduce structured methods for decision-making, such as soliciting anonymous feedback, encouraging debate, and ensuring the representation of diverse perspectives in meetings and discussions.
In essence, by fostering a culture of open communication and critical evaluation, internal communications enable organisations to make well-considered, innovative, and effective decisions.
Groupthink and Internal Communications
Internal communications shape an organisation’s culture, foster open dialogue, and ensure diverse viewpoints are heard and considered.
When groupthink prevails, it leads to a uniformity of thought that stifles creativity and innovation.
This phenomenon is hazardous in a corporate setting where critical decisions must balance various perspectives and risks.
The tendency to conform to the majority view or the opinion of charismatic leaders, often driven by a desire to maintain harmony or cohesion within the team, can result in overlooking potential problems, failing to explore alternative strategies, and making suboptimal decisions.
By promoting a culture of openness and psychological safety, where employees feel comfortable expressing their views without fear of retribution, internal communications can help prevent the insular thinking that leads to groupthink.
Therefore, internal communications must actively cultivate an environment where dissenting opinions are valued and critical thinking is encouraged, thereby mitigating the risks associated with groupthink.
Why Groups Are Sensitive To Pressure
Groups are particularly susceptible to pressure due to the inherent desire to maintain a positive social identity within the group. This desire often leads to groupthink, where the group’s collective effort to preserve its cohesion and avoid disapproval can result in poor decision-making.
“Groupthink is a collective effort to maintain social identity, with groups making poor decisions when faced with potential negative views, but producing higher quality decisions when given an excuse for poor performance.”
Source: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2Turner, M., Pratkanis, A., Probasco, P., & Leve, C. (1992). Threat, Cohesion, and Group Effectiveness: Testing a Social Identity Maintenance Perspective on Groupthink. Journal of Personality … Continue reading
This is especially true when the group perceives a threat of negative views from external sources. In such scenarios, the pressure to conform and maintain a unified front can override individual judgment and critical thinking, leading to decisions prioritising group harmony over the quality of the outcome.
Interestingly, groups can produce higher-quality decisions when they have an excuse for potentially poor performance. This implies that when the pressure of maintaining a flawless image alleviates, group members feel more liberated to express diverse opinions and engage in critical and creative thinking.
Avoiding Groupthink in Organisations
For internal communications, there are mainly two critical success factors for minimising groupthink in organisations:
Checklist for Communicative Leadership
Spin Academy | Online PR Courses
The Checklist for Communicative Leadership
Being a great leader can be daunting. However, with effort (and attention to detail), all leaders can practice expressive and precise communication.
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
— George Bernard Shaw
How can you ensure your leadership is expressive and precise in practical situations?
As a rule of thumb:
Make sure to pass these communicative leadership checks:
“Expressive and precise communication styles have a stronger link to leader outcomes than personality traits extraversion and conscientiousness.”
Source: Human Performance 3Bakker-Pieper, A., & Vries, R. (2013). The Incremental Validity of Communication Styles Over Personality Traits for Leader Outcomes. Human Performance, 26, 1 — … Continue reading
Learn more: The Checklist for Communicative Leadership
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PR Resource: More Psychology
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PR Resource: The 3 x 3 Intranet Model
The Intranet Model
An intranet has three pillars and three dimensions.
The 3 Intranet Pillars
The three pillars form the backbone of any effective intranet, catering to an organisation’s most fundamental needs. Each pillar plays a vital role in an intranet’s functionality and effectiveness. When well-executed, they work together seamlessly to support the organisation’s communication, collaboration, and information management needs.
When evaluating or setting up an intranet, it’s crucial to focus on these three pillars:
Intranet messaging = the intranet’s messaging functionality is the core communication function, encompassing all forms of digital messaging, including emails, instant messaging, and chat rooms. It’s the primary tool for day-to-day communication within the organisation.
Intranet meetings = the intranet’s meeting functionality involves scheduling, managing, and facilitating meetings within the organisation. It includes calendar management, video conferencing tools, and resources for virtual collaboration.
Intranet filing = the intranet’s filing functionality refers to storing, organising, and retrieving documents and other digital assets on the intranet. This includes document management systems, digital libraries, and databases.
The 3 Intranet Dimensions
By effectively leveraging the three dimensions of an intranet, an intranet can become a powerful tool for enhancing transparency, collaboration, and overall organisational efficiency. Each dimension complements the others, creating a comprehensive communication ecosystem that benefits the organisation.
In the context of an intranet, communication typically occurs in three primary dimensions: top-down, bottom-up, and horizontal.
Top-down communication = the top-down dimension refers to the flow of information from higher levels of the organisation’s hierarchy to lower levels. It typically includes official announcements, policy changes, organisational updates, and strategic directions.
Bottom-up communication = the bottom-up dimension refers to the upward flow of information from lower-level employees to the management and leadership teams. It encompasses staff feedback, suggestions, concerns, and insights.
Horizontal communication = the horizontal dimension refers to communication among employees at the same level within the organisational hierarchy. It involves exchanging information, collaborating, and sharing knowledge among peers.
Learn more: The Intranet: The Unsung Hero Amongst PR Channels
ANNOTATIONS
1 | McCauley, C. (1998). Group Dynamics in Janis’s Theory of Groupthink: Backward and Forward. Organisational behavior and human decision processes, 73 2⁄3, 142 – 62. https://doi.org/10.1006/OBHD.1998.2759 |
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2 | Turner, M., Pratkanis, A., Probasco, P., & Leve, C. (1992). Threat, Cohesion, and Group Effectiveness: Testing a Social Identity Maintenance Perspective on Groupthink. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63, 781 – 796. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022 – 3514.63.5.781 |
3 | Bakker-Pieper, A., & Vries, R. (2013). The Incremental Validity of Communication Styles Over Personality Traits for Leader Outcomes. Human Performance, 26, 1 — 19. https://doi.org/10.1080/08959285.2012.736900 |