Groupthink tends to be conservative when often what is needed is more focus and calculated risk-taking.

I was creating a start up company and expressed concerns to my marketing consultant about playing it too safe.

Do you know how they make airline lasagna?” the consultant asked.

“No,” I said.

He said, “It works like this.”

“When decisions are critical, get expert opinions--the more the better. As airlines serve lasagna by the tens of thousands, they get the opinions of experts to create lasagna that will taste good to everyone.

Many experts came up with great tasting lasagna. However,when they started mixing recipes to gain mass appeal they wound up compromising.The result was average tasting lasagna.

Airline food is safe food carefully prepared to avoid offending anyone. It tastes OK but hardly award winning. If you want great tasting lasagna, you need spices and that means taking risks.

When you try to please everyone you’re likely to get average results.”

If you follow consensus because you don’t trust your instincts and judgment you may wind up serving “Airline Lasagna” and your strategies may lack an important edge.

Three Tips To Avoid Groupthink Symptoms

1. Doing things a certain way doesn’t make it the best way
2. Take more risks--mistakes are part of progress and winning
3. Allow yourself to think and see things differently

Get more comfortable taking risks and your game will likely improve and you’ll be less likely to serve up average ideas.

Don’t be over-concerned with making mistakes. Focus on what it takes to win. Spice up your unique and individual style and dare to be different.

When you trust your instincts, your ability to influence people improves and more often than not, your own thinking will prove you right.

To develop confidence in making good decisions, you must be able to trust your own judgment as well filter through the ideas of others.

Copyright 2009 Brian J. Bieler – Reprints welcome so long as byline and article are published intact and all links made live.

BrianJ. Bieler is the author of Powerful Steps and The Sales Operator. He draws on thirty plus years of experience as the President Viacom Radio Group and VP/General Manager of seven broadcast companies. He is a one-one-one leadership coach and consults companies on strategic planning and sales development. Visit http://www.brianbieler.com or e-mail Brian at brian@brianbieler.com.