Occasionally, on Linked-In I look at popular jargon and unpack it through an Equality Act compliance lens.
Recently I looked at GroupThink
What is this from DEI point view?
Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon where a group prioritises consensus and harmony over critical thinking, often leading to poor decision-making and a lack of diverse perspectives. In the context of DEI, groupthink can hinder genuine inclusivity by discouraging dissenting opinions and reinforcing dominant cultural norms. A strong DEI approach actively combats groupthink by fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are sought, valued, hopefully leading to more innovative and equitable outcomes.
But my best example of the horrors of groupthink is the float from 2017 that looked like a sanitary towel
What is this from EA compliance point of view?
In theory, compliance with the EA in recruitment, promotions, access to training etc should lead to a reduced risk of groupthink, in that decisions about such issues are made for non discriminatory reasons, thus leading to a wider pool of candidates etc. However as currently delivered some organisations, misunderstanding the EA, may use equality law as an excuse to impose particular unlawful initiatives (such as happened with the RAF positive discrimination scandal https://lnkd.in/daDPTRF9) and discourage open discussions, leading to a lack of critical debate (such as happened at the Open University https://lnkd.in/dhfE4y9B)
Implications for DEI Practices and practitioners:
Preventing groupthink generally is a good idea for organisations in offering a new perspective, a fresh approach, a different background etc. Diversity of thought is still generally regarded as good for business. See this interview with Prof Alex Edmans https://lnkd.in/dU6yn4dt .
However be careful that new forms of groupthink don’t arise leading to unlawful discrimination.