Creative Thoughtson Groupthink

Unequal Opposites

Ali Anani, PhD

We talk about balancing of opposites, but not much so on opposites inequality

If there are no cloudsthen there shall beno rain

The oppositeis unequal

If cloudy itcould rainor not

#Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. ~ CS Lewis

If we add hot sulfuric acid to water gradually it is safe.The opposite is very risky

In brainstorming sessions if we add “cold” members to a hot discussion the brainstorming session shall turn chaos

If we add “hot” members to a cold session the meeting shall be more productive.

How to minimize the risk of brainstorming sessions?How to minimize the risk of brainstorming sessions?

How to help leaders take the right decisions?

I call for the idea ofGradual groupthink (GGT)

Like we add acid to water gradually, we add group members gradually

There is alwaysthe risk of groupthink

Everyone in a group goes along with a decision without consideration for alternative solutions or ideas.

The craving for conformity is to keep the atmosphere calm and cold.

Under the calm atmosphere there are hidden feelings. These include, but aren’t limited to:

• Fear of isolation of non-conformers• Tendency to overlook negatives• Snaky assumptions that the group has a better eye always than the individual

Applying the Blue Ocean Strategy to groupthink

Eliminate risks of groupthink

Raise ideas-sharing

Reduce of groupthink

Create new ways of performing groupthink

Type of People in meeting

• Majority go along with groupthink

• Hard nuts who will disagree

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How to get people move out from the circle of groupthink to the consensus of going in the same direction? Charles Cullinane

Circle ofgroupthink

Unified directionof consensus

Using the metaphor of adding the slow addition of hot acid to cold water to optimize groupthink

Let two or few people brainstorm and then come to an agreement.

This is a cool situation- agreement is prevailing

Now invite a member reputed for being true yes to the meeting.

If in accordance then you know that whatever opinion decision you made is based on true yes.

It is time to invite a hard nut to the meeting. He/she is the hot acid that we add to cold water.

It is time to invite a hard nut to the meeting. He/she is the hot acid that we add to cold water.

The hard nut shall heat up the session and splash some acidic ideas

Chaos shall eventually reorganize and change of direction may result

To avoid groupthink remember that there is unequal opposite

Avoid adding cold members to a heated discussion.Add hot heads to a cool session where agreement is prevailing