Groupthink

Definition - What does Groupthink mean?

Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that leads members of a group to make poor decisions and ignore valid alternatives in the face of internal pressures from the group. Groupthink is a common problem in groups where the members share backgrounds and there is no system or rules for making decisions. In order to avoid groupthink, some organizations depend on software like enterprise decision management (EDM) software.

Techopedia explains Groupthink

Groupthink is a particular danger in the world of business where people from similar professional backgrounds tend to make up executive-level management. When a group of decision-makers is insulated from the realities of day-to-day operations, they can quickly become more concerned with the harmony of the group than with the health of the business. Whether provided by a piece of software or not, the effects of groupthink can be mitigated by proper decision-making procedures, including gathering feedback from outside members, using models and scenarios, creating metrics to evaluate past decisions and so on.