The Abilene Paradox

( update - CRM Training is not a CRM Training company - their training is focused in all areas of soft-skills )

I was doing some reading on 'group think' the other day and came across some interesting concepts that can apply to how we make decisions that affect our relationship with customers.

The Abilene paradox is a paradox in which a group of people collectively decide on a course of action that is counter to the preferences of any of the individuals in the group. It involves a common breakdown of group communication in which each member mistakenly believes that their own preferences are counter to the group's and, therefore, does not raise objections.

I came across this company doing training, <www.crmlearning.com/> . I really like their approach of interpersonal skills. Some of their training topics are Accountability, Change Management, Communication Skills. This is an area that isn't always given attention but can greatly affect the value that you get from your CRM Technology.

Here's a link to a trailer video the have on the Abilene Paradox <www.crmlearning.com/abilene-paradox>
From their site

In this age of corporate scandals and lack of accountability, or for even the best of organizations, this parable by Dr. Jerry B. Harvey about a needless family trip to Abilene offers a compelling lesson for groups: Make sure you've received everyone's honest input on the action you're about to take. People will often "go along to get along" if they have any doubt at all about what will happen if they present opposition. Leaders must create a workplace where people are free to disagree and are encouraged to voice their true opinions. This best-selling, classic training program has helped thousands of organizations increase profits and productivity by helping teams make better group decisions

-cheers
Jon