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Leadership in extreme contexts: A groupthink analysis of the May 1996 Mount Everest disaster
Author(s) -
Burnette Jeni L.,
Pollack Jeffrey M.,
Forsyth Donelson R.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of leadership studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.219
H-Index - 14
eISSN - 1935-262X
pISSN - 1935-2611
DOI - 10.1002/jls.20190
Subject(s) - group cohesiveness , directive , group decision making , interpersonal communication , cohesion (chemistry) , psychology , perspective (graphical) , social psychology , public relations , political science , computer science , chemistry , organic chemistry , artificial intelligence , programming language
Groupthink, as traditionally conceived, is a failure in group decision making that occurs in highly cohesive groups. In the current case study, we propose an alternative potential form of groupthink in which the group's cohesiveness results from the shared pursuit of a collective goal rather than from strong interpersonal bonds between members. Our model, recognizing the multifaceted nature of cohesion, assumes that a group whose members are united in pursuit of a valued collective goal while guided by a directive leader may experience breakdowns in the decision process. Specifically, drawing on reviews of personal accounts, media descriptions, online interviews, and past empirical papers, we propose that the May 1996 Mount Everest disaster can be understood in part from a groupthink perspective. Applications for the proposed model are discussed, along with implications for leaders seeking to improve organizational decision‐making practices.