ACCA Applied Knowledge · Business and Technology · Team formation, development and management
A cohesive finance team has worked together for years. When a member suggests that a forecasting method may be flawed, the others dismiss it, assume the team is always right and pressure the dissenter to stay quiet. Which of the following is the most appropriate action to reduce the risk of this behaviour recurring?
The best action is to appoint someone to challenge assumptions and bring in outside views. The behaviour described is groupthink, where conformity suppresses dissent. Greater cohesion, removing the dissenter or giving a senior person the casting vote would worsen the problem.
- AAppoint a team member to challenge assumptions and encourage outside input to review decisionsCorrect
- BIncrease team cohesion through more social events
- CReplace the dissenting member with a more compliant colleague
- DGive the most senior member the casting vote on all decisions
Explanation
The behaviour is groupthink. Remedies include a devil's advocate, outside input and encouraging open debate. More cohesion or a dominant senior voice would strengthen conformity pressure, and removing the dissenter would eliminate the very challenge the team needs.
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