Flaws in Group Decision-MakingSource: Chapter 14 of Collapse by J. Diamond Individuals make bad decisions all the time but additional factors contribute to bad group decisions. Both in state governments and in companies! 1. Failure to Anticipate a Problem
2. Failure to Perceive the Problem when it arrives
3. Failure to Try to solve it. Usually Rational Bad Behavoir.
Actions or inactions of self-absorbed rulers have been frequently the cause of collapse. Competition for short term prestige does it. 4. Failure to solve it -- because of disastrous values - Irrational Bad Behavior
4A seems the most common factor. Leaders (and people) fail to adapt to changing circumstances. In the case of companies it often cited as "the founder's curse." The qualities that make an individual a successful leader of a small company (a few hundred people) become liabilities for a leader of even a mid-sized compnay (several thousand people). Either the leader has to change his/hers mindset (a tough thing to do) or the leader must be replaced. |