Understanding the Abilene Paradox: Why Our Decisions Often Lead Us Astray
In the realm of group decision-making, few concepts are as paradoxically counterintuitive – yet as common – as the Abilene Paradox. This phenomenon describes situations where groups collectively decide on actions that none of the individuals actually want, simply because each person wrongly believes everyone else is enthusiastic about the idea[1]. In other words, it’s a failure to manage agreement: people go along with a proposal to avoid rocking the boat, only to discover later that everyone privately opposed the plan. The result is often frustration, wasted effort, and outcomes that leave all parties bewildered at how they ended up on a road nobody wanted to travel.
