Group Think

I think I have always experienced the phenomenon of "Group Think" but never really acknowledged it (had a name for it) or thought about it being a hindrance to a group. I think that most of us have been in a situation where they have just gone along with what the majority of the people in their group wanted to do. This is "Group Think" and when team members concede to group think, they are severely handicapping their group. Yes, there are some situations when the status quo doesn't adversely effect a group, but most times it does because it eliminates creativity. Sometimes the person that is afraid to speak up in a group, the one who likes to go with the flow, could have the ideas that would take your group from being a good team to a great team. Something I am thankful for about our group is that no one is afraid to speak their mind. At first, when we were first getting to know each other, this was a bit unnerving, but it has become the strong point of our group. Everyone is heard, and most importantly, all ideas are heard. I have learned since taking this class that you need to avoid "Group Think", even if it is like pulling teeth for you, because avoiding it will help your group down the road.

Sam Brooks