Is Your Team Quietly Screaming? Unmasking the Abilene Paradox in Your Workplace
We hear and engage in fallacies every day. They often form the keystones of our arguments. These logical fallacies are leaps of logic that lead us to an unsupported conclusion. People may unintentionally commit a logical fallacy due to poor reasoning or intentionally to manipulate others. Common logical fallacies include the red herring, ad hominem, causation/correlation, straw man, and the anecdotal evidence fallacy. However, there is one particularly insidious fallacy that we want to take extra care to avoid, and that is the one known as the Abilene Paradox.
Put simply, the Abilene Paradox occurs when people fail to communicate their underlying opinions or beliefs, which leads to a misperception of the collective reality. It differs from groupthink because, with groupthink, members get on board with the popular idea. In the Abilene Paradox, no one wants to “rock the boat,” so to speak. The danger of the Abilene Paradox is that members will make collective decisions that lead them to act contrary to their wishes. Ultimately, the results are counterproductive and often lead to frustration, anger, irritation, and dissatisfaction with other group members.
The Abilene Paradox is especially treacherous in the workplace. It leads people to believe that committee rule is superior to one’s own opinion. When you think that the rest of the group holds an opposing view to yours, you may assume that you are in the wrong, making it difficult to object. If team members feel disempowered, they may be loath to speak up, leading to the belief that unanimous agreement is the only correct choice.
When team members feel they cannot put forward an argument, the company is less likely to explore alternative options, which can lead to less creativity. Fundamentally, the Abilene Paradox undermines psychological safety in the workplace. Team members often feel frustration and resentment, which leads to a lack of engagement.
Do you suspect the Abilene Paradox may be alive in your workplace? Here are some signs:
Team members are afraid to express their true opinions. This may look like individuals expressing dissatisfaction with group decisions privately but remaining silent during group discussions.
Consistent reluctance to criticize or question decisions, resulting in a lack of meaningful debate.
Decisions are made based on assumptions about the preferences of others without actually discussing those preferences.
A pervasive fear of being ostracized or criticized for dissenting opinions.
Meetings are characterized by a lack of communication, with everyone agreeing to a proposal without much discussion.
Observable gaps between verbal agreement and actual commitment to group decisions.
Individuals feel discontent or dissatisfaction with group decisions after they have been made.
Purging the organization of the Paradox is an effort that must come from the top. Company culture will play an enormous role in this effort, and the executive leadership defines culture. Leaders who wish to create a culture of honest and open communication must “walk the talk,” so to speak. Modeling this behavior can go a long way toward making it a reality for team members. Only by creating an atmosphere where people are empowered and supported can leadership hope to maximize creativity, innovation, and productivity. Otherwise, teams become consumed by the Paradox and waste time and resources on decisions no one supports.
Beware the silent consensus—challenge the Abilene Paradox; your team’s silence might be its loudest alarm.