Why does corporate idiocy sometimes feel like one of those things you just have to get used to, like mimes and gravity? How is it that normal, well-educated, well-meaning corporate citizens act like terrorists within their own organization? It’s the equivalent of an auto-immune disorder for companies.
The answer goes back to a low-budget short film I saw in business school (when the earth’s crust was still cooling) on the Abilene Paradox, a concept introduced by Jerry Harvey on the perils of groupthink. The parable goes something like this:
In Coleman, Texas, on one of the hottest days of the year, a family is happily playing dominos on their porch. The father-in-law (of course it’s the father-in-law) suggests they all get up and go 53 miles to Abilene for a meal. The group gets in a classic american rear-wheel drive oven, otherwise known as Buick without air conditioning, and starts the trip from hell. (Truth be told, it probably wasn’t a Buick, but the story seems hotter this way.)
Several hours and 106 miles later, they’ve had one of the worst experiences of their lives, including a crummy meal. The paradox is that they all come to realize that no one, as an individual, actually wanted to suffer through Dante’s inferno. They each thought that’s what the group wanted and followed. Death by committee. In the branding business, the road to Abilene is all too familiar. It is wide and welcoming.
To quote David Ogilvy,
“Search the parks in all the cities. You’ll find no statues to committees.”
The advice I give is simple. Have the conversation that is not being had. Tim Ferris, one of my heroes put it this way:
“The quality of one’s life is directly related to one’s willingness to have difficult conversations.”
The quality of an organization is directly related to its own ability to have difficult conversations, as well. Ask yourself this everyday:
“Am I on the road to Abilene?”
I posted this syndrome (The Abilene Paradox) on my Facebook blatherings months ago, and got a number of interesting responses. I agree – it’s a distinct problem, and it’s not getting better. In fact, some argue the psychological issues are worsening, causing mass frustration, detachment, failures. So….now what?
Human drives to be accepted by the group are strong, stronger still when there’s stress and crisis all over, tribalism, a cut-throat work environment, and jobs are hard to find.
The brain wants pleasure, fantasy, it isn’t especially wired for ‘reality’ and challenge (nor is such actively supported by the culture – in fact, you could say that as a culture, the US excels in massive degrees of magical thinking). The brain pathways towards strength, imagination and will must be trained. In a coddled, entitled, security-state society, new pathways become distinctly roadblocked.
Edward deBono’s Six Thinking Hats is a good bridge to understanding a way through the miasma. It’s online.
The deeper question is: OK, we’ve named and identified the problem — now….how do we address it in, you know…. the real world….the one few care to dwell in?
Paul van Winkle
Atlanta
paulvanwinkle6@yahoo.com
Your observation about the cultural pressures sending people down the road to Abilene is well-taken. In a certain light, any culture is a massive subconcious decision to travel down the road to Abilene. Or, perhaps a culture that is never questions itself is one that is doomed to travel the metaphorical road. In any case, I do believe the mere asking of the question “are we on the road to Abilene,” is a good beginning. You may be interested in taking a look at my approach to solving groupthink which I lay out in another post.
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