Introduction
Groups of people working on a project often encounter issues, such as complacency or a lack of change. This can occur due to a lack of proper leadership or an atmosphere of outspokenness. Because they are unwilling to disrupt harmony and coherence, groups frequently avoid massive operational and organizational changes, which may lead to failure. However, proper management and staff involvement can address a lack of innovation and group complacency.
Changing a Groupthink Mindset
Sometimes, a company does not understand why its product is not selling well and fails to introduce changes promptly. As groupthink drives the collective to complacency and stagnation, the leader of a group must utilize a management strategy called “transformational leadership.” In its optimal state, transformational leadership fosters significant and constructive change in the followers with the ultimate objective of transforming followers into leaders (Transformational leadership, n.d.).
To do this, a leader should challenge followers to take more responsibility for their work, encourage them to do so, and become aware of their talents and shortcomings so they can assign projects that will maximize their performance. These practices will allow understanding why the company’s product isn’t selling and encourage employees to come together to form creative ideas to change their product and share their opinions and ideas. To combat the lack of change in the business, a manager must apply transformational leadership to increase employee engagement and persuade them to influence change in the organization.
Addressing Complacency to Avoid Bankruptcy at Swissair
Complacency in an organization can lead to stagnation and eventual failure, as evident in the case of Swissair. Swissair was a stable and prosperous airline, frequently called “the flying bank”. Swissair assumed they were immune to attack because of their well-known status. This complacent attitude prevented people from challenging poor management choices, which led to the airline’s bankruptcy. Complacency can be an opposing force, leading to a lack of motivation and initiative, neglect of tasks, and a general disengagement from work processes (Complacency in the Workplace, 2022). Thus, complacency is a negative factor that caused the eventual decline of Swissair.
However, Swissair’s staff and management could have prevented the company’s collapse through several practices. The employees of Swissair could have prevented complacency through job shadowing. This practice stimulates cross-training and causes staff members to appreciate the efforts of others (Complacency in the Workplace, 2022).
However, Swissair’s management could have prevented this issue through several practices that reduce complacency. Firstly, management should teach their staff self-awareness so that they understand their actions better and can evaluate them. Secondly, management should reinforce the company’s values, so that employees work with these values in mind. Thirdly, complacency can grow from routine; thus, changing employees’ day-to-day activities can reduce complacency (Complacency in the Workplace, 2022). Thus, the downfall of Swissair could have been prevented if management and staff had applied suitable policies.
Conclusion
Thus, compliance and lack of change are dangerous symptoms of groupthink that can lead to organizational failure. Management and staff can utilize several practices to reduce and negate these symptoms. To inspire change, management can engage in transformational leadership, thus allowing staff to form and share creative ideas.
On the other hand, complaints should be addressed by management and staff. The staff should practice job shadowing to understand and appreciate the work of their peers, thus improving motivation and engagement. Management should teach self-awareness, reinforce company values, and change employees’ routines. Hence, while groupthink can be a formidable problem for an organization, proper staff and management practices can eliminate this issue.
References
Transformational leadership. (n.d.). Langston University. Web.
Complacency in the Workplace: What It Is and Tips for Changing It. (2022). Indeed. Web.