Final answer:
Groupthink theory in leadership explains how groups can make faulty decisions due to the pressure for consensus and conformity. It highlights the symptoms and causes of groupthink and provides strategies to avoid it.
Step-by-step explanation:
Groupthink theory is a concept in social psychology that explains how groups can make faulty decisions due to the pressure for consensus and conformity. It occurs when the members of a group prioritize maintaining harmony and agreement over critically evaluating alternative viewpoints. Groupthink can be caused by factors such as group cohesiveness, directive leadership, and isolation from diverse perspectives. Groupthink can lead to symptoms such as perceiving the group as invulnerable or morally correct, self-censorship, and a consensus-driven decision-making process. These symptoms can hinder the group from considering different options and opinions, resulting in flawed decision-making. To avoid groupthink, strategies can be implemented, such as seeking outside opinions, voting in private, encouraging all group members to voice their views before the leader shares their position, conducting research on all viewpoints, and developing contingency plans. Overall, groupthink theory highlights the importance of critically evaluating group dynamics and promoting diverse perspectives to enhance decision-making processes in leadership.