Lesson 4: Abilene Paradox: Symptoms & Causes Dr. Michael J. Pierson

1. HIGH PERFORMANCE LEADERSHIP Lesson 4: Abilene Paradox: Symptoms & Causes Dr. Michael J. Pierson Exit

2. Some of you have made trips to Abilene & don’t know it! Click here to read the Abilene Paradox. Exit

3. In order to go to Abilene you must exhibit certain symptoms! Exit

4. Symptom One • In private, members of a group individually agree about what to do with a situation or problem in an organization. • Example: Everyone was happy to stay in Coleman & play dominoes. Exit

5. Symptom Two • Members fail to publicly & accurately communicate how they feel, & they keep things to themselves. • They acquiesce to each other (consent without protest) & lead one another into misperceiving collective reality. • Example: The family members all said they wanted to go to Abilene. Exit

6. Symptom Three • With bad data members make decisions that are contrary to what they want to do. • Example: Going to Abilene when you prefer to stay in Coleman. Exit

7. Symptom Four • You accept decisions that you don’t agree with & feel frustrated & angry. • Subgroups are formed, and blame is placed on other subgroups or authority figures. • Example: The family pointed fingers at everyone and then finally at the authority figure. Exit

8. WatergateWas A Trip ToAbilene! Click here to view video. Exit

9. Let’s Look At Watergate • On June 17, 1972, a security guard at D.C.’s Watergate hotel and apartment complex called police when he noticed a stairwell door lock had been rigged not to lock. • Officers responded and caught five intruders inside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Exit

10. The burglars were there to check some bugging equipment installed in another break-in in May and to photograph the Democrats' documents. • The break-in was directly linked to the reelection campaign office of President Richard M. Nixon and unraveled political spying, sabotage, bribery, and the illegal use of campaign funds. Exit

11. Discovery of these activities and the cover-up by the Nixon administration resulted in the indictments of approximately 40 government officials and the resignation of the president. Exit

12. Members of Nixon’s inner circle who were involved in making the decision to carry out the plan to spy on the Democrats included: Herbert Porter, member of the White House staff, Jeb Magruder, deputy campaign director, John Mitchell, head of Nixon’s re-election committee & former attorney general, and G. Gordon Liddy, former FBI agent. Exit

13. The Watergate scandal has become the benchmark against which all other political scandals are measured. Exit

14. Let’s look at decision-making in the Watergate Scandal! Exit

15. Porter Said… • “It was illegal, immoral, and I wasn’t in favor of it.” • How did you vote? “I voted to bug it.” • Why? “The other three were in favor of it so I thought they knew something I didn’t.” Exit

16. Magruder Said… • “I wasn’t in favor of bugging.” • How did you vote? “I voted to bug it.” • Why? “The other three were in favor of it so I thought they knew something I didn’t.” Exit

17. Mitchell Said… • What was your reaction to Liddy when he came to you with the plan to bug Watergate? • “I thought he was insane and should have thrown him out the window.” • What did you tell him? • “Let’s send the plan back for further study.” Exit

18. Liddy • He hasn’t really talked about Watergate. • He probably thought we’ve got another boring meeting with the Attorney General, and I will liven it up with an outrageous idea to bug Watergate. • Suddenly he finds himself in jail with no idea how he got there. Exit

19. The Abilene Paradox Dilemma • Why do those who want to play dominoes in Coleman go to Abilene? • What causes people who want peace to go to war? • What causes people who believe in legal activities to participate in illegal activities? Exit

20. It’s crazy!We call it tact, loyalty, team work, not wanting to cause problems, or organizational necessity when we act like this! Exit

21. The more leaders are out of touch with the reality of their followers, the more likely they are to be like former President Nixon. Exit

22. What are the causes of going to Abilene? Exit

23. 1. Action anxiety. 2. Fear of separation. Exit

24. First Cause Of Trips To Abilene: Action Anxiety • It’s also called the Hamlet Syndrome: “To be or not to be, that is the question.” • When we know the action that should be taken, & we become so anxious that we can’t carry through with it. • You know what you want to say but you can’t say it! Exit

25. We Practice Action Anxiety When We... • Forecast negative hypotheses about what will happen if we behave sensibly, logically, and rationally. • Listen to someone who comes to us with a problem and a negative hypotheses, they are asking you for a bus ticket to Abilene. • Some of us not only give them the ticket but actually drive them. Exit

26. Example: The Domino Theory hypothesized that if we withdrew from Viet Nam, we would have to fight the Communists hand-to-hand in Los Angeles. • Example: “This is a lousy place to work; you can’t try anything new!” Why? “Because they will get you!” Who will get you? “I don’t know; they are sneaky!” Exit

27. We Also Practice Action Anxiety When We... • Fear the unknown. This is the ultimate risk that puts you in the unairconditioned ‘58 Buick with the doors locked and the windows rolled up. • We need to fear the known, not the unknown; that makes sense! Exit

28. Second Cause of Trips to Abilene: Fear of Separation • Connection is a requirement for human survival. • Any act that has potential for disconnecting is terrifying to us, and we will do anything to avoid it. Exit

29. Anaclitic depression is psychological separation from those we lean on for support. • Marasmus is the spiritual, mental, and physical wasting away when anaclitic depression is not relieved by attachment to others. Exit

30. If you threaten separation, you are encouraging marasmus and starting someone down the road to Abilene. • Example: The marriage is on the rocks, I’m afraid to talk about it, we might argue, it might end up in divorce (separation), so I will do nothing. Exit

31. How can you determine if you are on the road to Abilene? Exit

32. Answer The Following Questions: 1. Is there conflict in the organization? 2. Do members feel frustrated, powerless, and unhappy? 3. Are some looking for a way to escape? 4. Do members place the blame on the leader or other groups? 5. Do small groups meet and say, “We should do…” Exit

33. 6. When some groups meet with other groups to discuss problems, do they soften their positions, state them ambiguously, or reverse positions? 7. After such meetings, do members complain they didn’t say what they needed to say and give a list of reasons why? Exit

34. 8. Do attempts to solve the problem just make things worse because people are acquiescing? 9. Do members seem to get along better outside the organization than inside it? Exit

35. If you answered yes to these questions, you are on the road to Abilene!! Exit

36. What Have You Learned? Directions: Read each question & click on “T” (true) or “F” (false). 1. Leaders should allow negative hypotheses in an organization. 2. Leaders should reduce the fear of conflict. 3. If collective reality is understood the Abilene Paradox can be avoided. 4. Open & honest communication can help prevent the Abilene Paradox. 5. Marasumus helps overcome the fear of separation. T F T F T F T F T F Exit

37. Assignments • Finish reading The Abilene Paradox. • E-mail a one-page discussion of whether you feel it is right to use external force to your professor. • Use PowerPoint to develop a concept map of Lesson 4 and e-mail it to your professor. Exit