|
|
 | | From: | Thomas Hankin | | Subject: | Dangers of Homogeneous Group Decisions | | Date: | Mon, 24 Jan 2005 05:47:34 GMT |
|
|
 | Dangers of Homogeneous Group Decisions
The more members of a group like and respect one another, the more
probable it is they will make a poor decision. A well-known example of
the dangers of this unhealthy group orientation took place during the
John F. Kennedy administration. A faulty decision caused the defeat of
American forces in the invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs, embarrassing
the President and the nation.
President Kennedy had surrounded himself with a committee of some
of the shrewdest advisors in the country. This group of experts didn't
make a poor decision because of low IQs. They failed because they
wanted to be liked by others in the group. They allowed friendship and
loyalty to overwhelm their decision-making process.
Advisors who were tempted to speak up in opposition to the attack
decided against it out of fear of being disliked, or because they didn't
want to waste everyone's time. In a memorandum written before the
committee assembled, Arthur Schlesinger, one of the members of the
Kennedy inner circle, acknowledged that he considered the invasion of
Cuba a mistake. But he kept silent when he participated in the
discussion. Robert Kennedy, the President's brother and the U.S.
attorney general, got Schlesinger in the corner after discovering that
he opposed the invasion. Kennedy put it bluntly, "Arthur, you may be
right or you may be wrong, but the president has made up his mind.
Don't push any further." Schlesinger kept quiet. The environment
wasn't right for voicing dissent.
from "2000+ Bible Illustrations," Decisions.
God Bless.
Tom.
|
|
|
