Results of Group-think

As business students we are often put into teams. However, many fail to realize the harmful effects of team work. A harmful effect of group work is group think. According to Dictionary.com group think is defined as: The tendency for members of a cohesive group to reach decisions without weighing all the facts, especially those contradicting the majority opinion.

The five results from group-think are:

1. Absence of Trust:  Group members can't rely on one another to get things done, and they can't come to one another for help.
2. Fear of Conflict: Group members don't call one another out on doing a poor job or not finishing work due to a fear of conflict.
3. Lack of Commitment: Members say they will do one thing but don't follow through, this can result in frustration and can cause some members to leave the group. Also not all group members are heard.
4. Avoidance of Accountability: Group members aren't held accountable for their mistakes. This sets the group back by preventing them from completing tasks.
5. Inattention to Results: Group members do what is good for themselves rather than for the group as a whole. In other words, the goal of the individual is put ahead of the goal of the group.