GroupthinkThe explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger. The Bay of Pigs Invasion. The Korean War Debacle (Janis 1-28). These are examples of situations where group communication has failed. Group communication involves a shared identity among three or more people, a considerable amount of interaction among these people, and a high level of interdependence among all involved (Trenholm 196-97). It is essential to understand group dynamics for a number of reasons. Everyone participates in groups throughout their lives, and these groups are often very goal-oriented. The business community, nonprofit organizations, and municipal governments all use groups to make decisions. Sometimes a condition known as Groupthink can occur in extremely task-oriented and goal-driven groups. Groupthink is like “a mode of thinking that people engage in when cohesion is high” (Blumberg and Golembiewski 134). Groupthink leads to poor decision making and results in a lack of creativity. Although groupthink has been widely studied, many people are unaware of its dynamics and the consequences it may induce. This document is designed to raise awareness about groupthink and to provide some tips that can help task-oriented groups avoid this condition. To understand groupthink, it is essential to have a basic familiarity with group communication dynamics. Once this is accomplished, some symptoms of groupthink will be explored and some solutions will be offered. Much work has been done on the topic of groupthink, but the most authoritative documentation on the topic can be discovered in the works of the concept's founder. , Irving Janis. Janis, in her book Groupthink, defines the terms involved and presents examples. Beyond Groupthink is a text written by Eric Stern et al. which deals with Groupthink in small groups. The authors believe that a certain amount of groupthink can be useful in small groups.