Workplace
MANAGEMENT
Group Mentality Want to get the most out of your employees when they work in groups? We spoke to the experts and found ways to avoid the dreaded groupthink and get the best from your team
THE PROBLEM: charity information returns for the Canada Revenue Agency require a lot of information regarding activities, and accountants put in loads of time seeking that data from clients. Most nonprofits don’t realize the government collects this data, some of which is made public. The solution: devise an online form so clients can input their data them- selves so accountants don’t have to go deep diving for information, and the form will be more thoroughly completed, which will also benefit the charity. This was the idea that five folks in the nonprofit team at Toronto accounting firm Stern Cohen Accountants recently
16 | CPA MAGAZINE | MARCH 2017
came up with. The group shared the concept with senior managers and, in short order, the partners approved it and had it developed. “We’re always trying to find ways to innovate and be different,” says partner Graham Williams. Most companies seek a competitive
edge by looking for new ideas. “Whenever firms engage in self-reflection, rightly or wrongly, innovation comes up as some- thing they want to see,” says Glen Whyte, professor of organizational behaviour and HR management at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Since the work world is increasingly organized into teams,
workplace groups will ideally cook up valuable ideas, as well as complete their day-to-day work efficiently. It’s a tall order — group dynamics are complex and teams can easily become dysfunctional. Specifically, teams can slip into group- think, a situation where no one wants to argue, debate or make it known they dis- agree because they value agreement more than they value debate and potentially new creative ideas, says Whyte. When such groups come up with ideas, they’re often run-of-the-mill or miss the point entirely. (Have you seen a shiny new service no one wants? This is a classic product of groupthink.) There are ways for your employees to
work in groups and avoid falling into groupthink. Here’s how to help your team move out of the safe-thinking zone, encouraging them to function better and generate innovative ideas.
Jeannie Phan
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