Humans are hard wired to resist change. That’s why it’s so easy to have an abnormal chore on the forefront of your mind but forget and slide into your regular routine. For example, you offer to drive a friend home after the movies, and you wind up heading to your house instead. We are creatures of habit who nurture creature comforts. To provoke change, even good change, is uncomfortable because it alters the routines we’ve worked diligently to automate. Construction on your commute? Disaster! Coffee shop switched beans? The horror! This is why it’s so easy for you and your coworkers to slide into groupthink, jeopardizing the sustainability of your business.
Groupthink happens when a group of people think the same ideology is solid without pausing to consider pros and cons. The group lets the leader make decisions without criticism, without argument, and without thought. They just agree on the course of action outlined and move forward to make it happen. In the business world this can cause your brand to become obsolete.
Recall your last team meeting. As the group was asked whether they agreed on a new due date, did anyone voice an opinion? If not, you may be working in a groupthink situation. You 
may also be working with consensus, groupthink’s nemesis. When a group reaches agreement based on consensus, it means that there was opportunity for critical thinking, that policies or procedures were questioned, and that the conclusion was reached based on the fact that it was the best. Groupthink doesn’t rock the boat. Consensus braves the waves and comes out stronger for it.
Both groupthink and consensus can come to the same conclusion, but in groupthink the final decision was patted on the head and told “good decision”, and in consensus the final decision was proven to be the best. Do you want your business decisions to be patted on the head and given a cookie, or prepared for battle? You need someone to speak up and say, “what if we?” just as much as, “I don’t understand.” We’ve all been in a group situation where we have no idea what’s going on but figure we’re alone and will look silly if we ask a question. Until someone else asks what’s going on, and suddenly everyone else is revealed to have been equally lost. Did your coworkers agree on the new due date simply because it was offered, or because it was for the best? What if you can provide a better solution to the client by postponing the due date? What if there is a way to deliver the product sooner, but your coworkers were afraid to speak up?
Without a firm understanding of the product, of the processes, or of the client, you risk giving up your business to competition. Instigate critical thinking at every opportunity. Welcome brainstorming, suggestions, and answer questions even if you know they’re taking you down a path you aren’t interested in. Foster a work environment in which people aren’t afraid to speak up. Someone’s got to say, “what if we stopped making this product that only 5 people buy and develop something new?” leading you to your best seller?
Consensus could make new things move, could overhaul the agenda so that it’s more efficient, get the orders out the door in double time. By fostering a creative, safe environment in which your staff feel empowered to offer their best at all times, you take a big step towards ensuring that your customers smile the whole time they’re in the store, not just on their way out.
