A person at work has a powerful and vindictive personality. They turned a committee of colleagues against me using only hearsay lies. Could this have been an instance of groupthink?
I ran your question past Dr Connie Zheng, an associate professor in human resource management in the School of Management at Adelaide University. She told me that your situation may well have involved some elements of groupthink.
“Groupthink was first introduced by American social psychologist Irving Janis in 1972 to explain how groups can make poor or unfair decisions under social pressure. Groupthink occurs when a group values harmony, loyalty or conformity more than critical thinking and independent judgment,” she says.
“In these situations, people may suppress doubts, avoid questioning influential voices or accept assumptions without sufficient evidence.”
Associate Professor Zheng said that groupthink is more likely to take place when two conditions are present: strong group cohesion and directive leadership.
“When a tightly connected group is influenced by a powerful or dominant individual, members may feel pressure to agree rather than challenge the prevailing view. However, research findings on groupthink remain mixed, partly because group decision-making is highly complex and difficult to study,” she says.
“In the [reader’s] case, the phrases ‘powerful and vindictive personality’ and ‘a committee of colleagues turned against me’ suggest that both strong influence and group conformity may have been involved. If colleagues accepted hearsay without checking facts, avoided hearing the person’s perspective or aligned themselves with a dominant figure out of fear, convenience or social pressure, then some groupthink dynamics may indeed have been present.”
But Associate Professor Zheng said it was important to distinguish groupthink from related workplace problems such as bullying, scapegoating, reputational manipulation or toxic leadership.
“Sometimes people conform not because they genuinely agree, but because they want to avoid conflict, protect their own position or maintain relationships within the group,” she says.
According to Associate Professor Zheng there are several warning signs commonly associated with groupthink.
These include unquestioned belief in a dominant person’s narrative, discouragement of dissent, social isolation of the targeted individual and the assumption that a lie told often enough becomes the truth.
Associate Professor Zheng said that those in charge of organising teams may want to give labels to certain dynamics or reasons for bad decisions, but that more emphasis should be placed on creating healthier workplace culture.
“Modern workplaces increasingly rely on teams and committees, so it is essential that decisions are based on evidence, transparency and fairness rather than hearsay or social pressure. Organisations should promote psychological safety, employee wellbeing, open communication and fair grievance processes.”
As for individuals exposed to this kind of behaviour from colleagues, she provided several practical suggestions.
“Avoid reacting impulsively or emotionally in public settings. Under group pressure, emotional confrontation can sometimes reinforce existing assumptions. Remaining calm, factual and professional is often more effective. Keeping records of communications and incidents can also provide clarity and protection.
“Where possible, seek respectful one-on-one conversations. Some individuals within the group may privately have doubts but feel uncomfortable speaking openly. Personal dialogue may help rebuild trust more effectively than confronting the entire group.”
Associate Professor Zheng also recommended turning your attention to evidence rather than concentrating on personality flaws, “calmly clarifying inaccuracies, providing facts and demonstrating professionalism through consistent behaviour”.
And, finally, if you feel things have gone so far that you need to take more serious action, you can consider formal organisational channels such as mediation, human resources support or grievance procedures. She said that “healthy organisations recognise that unchecked rumours and exclusionary behaviour can damage morale, trust and psychological safety”.
Send your questions through to Work Therapy by emailing jonathan@theinkbureau.com.au
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Jonathan Rivett is a writer based in Melbourne. He’s written about workplace culture and careers for more than a decade.