If so, it is quite possible that you are a victim of the Abilene paradox.
The story behind the Abilene Paradox
Jerry B. Harvey, a management expert, first introduced the Abilene paradox in a 1974 article titled The Abilene Paradox: Agreement Management.
The paradox is named after a real-life anecdote, in which Harvey and his family agreed to go on a long and uncomfortable trip to Abilene, Texas, even though neither of them really wanted to go.
On a hot day in Coleman, Texas, the husband, wife, and her parents were sitting on the porch, sipping lemonade. The father-in-law suggests driving 53 miles to Abilene to have lunch, something the other three agree to despite the reservations they had.
The trip to Abilene in a car without air conditioning was uncomfortable, and the meal was also unappealing. Members of the group complained about their decision to go to Abilene on the way back to Coleman. Despite initial reservations, all family members agreed to the plan because they didn’t want to upset anyone.
What is the Abilene paradox?
The Abilene paradox is a cognitive bias, that is, a thinking error that occurs when we interpret and process information about the world around us.
More than 250 cognitive biases and their effects that affect our judgment and decision-making are known: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_biases_in_judgment_and_decision_making).
The Abilene paradox occurs when a group of people mutually decide to act in a way that contradicts the preferences of each member.
It is based on the fact that in groups and organizations, people create their own “subjective social reality” determined by the way they relate to and perceive commitment to the group. For example, people who work on a project make a decision that everyone in public agrees with, although privately everyone knows that it is a wrong decision.
The Abilene paradox is often confused with “group think,” but the two have different characteristics.
“Groupthink” occurs when a group of people prioritizes consensus and cohesion over critical thinking and independent decision-making.
Researcher Yoonho Kim explains that in the case of “groupthink,” a unanimous decision is driven by the “high-energy” desire for group cohesion and harmony. The Abilene Paradox occurs in a state of “low energy” where there is a fear of upsetting the balance.
Why does the Abilene paradox occur?
The Abilene paradox can occur for several reasons:
- Fear of being different and of not being considered the black sheep of the group
- Inability to be honest with yourself
- Lack of self-confidence
- Unassertive, faulty communication
- You don’t want to risk exposing yourself and being punished
- Fear of not being accepted by the group or even being excluded
- There is no psychological safety
- The need for action is more important than personal opinions
- Reluctance to act in ways that contradict the actions of the group.
Failure to manage agreement in a group doesn’t seem like a very bad thing at first glance, but if at the individual level it erodes trust and undermines our ability to solve the problems we face, at the group level it can have catastrophic consequences.
There is an opinion that the 1986 NASA shuttle tragedy, in which all seven crew members lost their lives, is an example of where the Abilene Paradox worked. After several launch delays and cancellations, managers were desperate to launch the shuttle. As a result, the group collectively ignored engineers’ warnings about the risks associated with a cold-weather launch. Live, in front of millions of viewers watching live on TV, the shuttle exploded within 73 seconds of its launch.
How to avoid the Abilene Paradox
When you have an opinion, speak openly, express your opinion with empathy and assertiveness.
If you are a manager or leader of a team, make sure that you and your people are not victims of the Abeline Paradox:
- builds a culture of open communication and diversity of opinions
- Constantly asks for feedback
- stimulates positive conflict and differing opinions
- describes the decision-making process, role and importance of each participant in the process
- Designate a person to play the role of the devil’s advocate during discussions.
- always question the assumptions and assumptions that underpin decisions.
- Organizes post-mortem analyses at the end of the project.
Understanding the Abilene paradox helps safety professionals implement more effective communication strategies, increase worker engagement, and promote a culture of open dialogue.
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Rob Long says
Decebal, it is important that we don’t understand cognitive biases as ‘errors’. No cognitive bias can be ‘controlled’ and cannot be ‘controlled’. This is why we are NOT conscious of these pressures at the time of their happening. As for ‘safety professionals’ who are they?