Managing Problems with Deviance, Conformity,

Game Playing, Group Think and Conflict in Groups

and Teams
What is Deviance?

Traditionally, deviance has referred to intentional behaviors that depart from

organizational norms in a negative way, thereby threatening the well-being of an
organization and/or its members. Stealing and incivility are commonly cited as
examples of deviant, or harmful, behavior.

Deviant crimes examples:

• murder
• theft
• (Sexual) assault

Deviant Behaviour (not criminal)- that which is seen as deviant is dependent upon

what a society believes to a violation of that which is seen as sacred or moral in that
society

• lying (not to be confused with perjury), manipulation

• Displaying a gross lack of table manners- Picking your nose, passing gas,
picking food out of your nails, etc
• Pornography- deemed immoral for its objectification and brutalization of women
• Premarital sex- in some countries
• Promiscuity/ Polygamy- violates the purity myth, and the “sanctity of marriage”,
and challenges sexual double standards
• Recreational use of drugs (even marijuana)

Why does deviant behavior occur?

Workplace deviance will often occur when employees feel a psychological contract has
been violated. A psychological contract is a set of beliefs or unstated agreement
between the employee and the organization (or individuals within the organization) of
their obligations to one another. 
Practical implications

• Communication. Employers can strive to create an environment where

employees are able to express their concerns, anger or frustrations to a trusted
supervisor. This can be done through various means, such as employee attitude
surveys or anonymous comment boxes.
• Selection.  Hiring employees that have self-control is important because these
individuals will be more likely to self-regulate their negative emotional reactions
in less than ideal situations.
• Training. Providing training to current employees and training supervisors to
listen and respond to employee concerns or perceived violations can allow them
to monitor for any indication of a perceived contract breach and to intervene
when the situation arises, perhaps preventing the deviant behavior from
occurring entirely.

When attempting to prevent these behaviors it is most important to remember that

the psychological contract is based on beliefs and perceptions of the employee.
Therefore, the organization should do their best to not only monitor these feelings, but
also be explicit with their policies and attempt to mold these perceptions into realistic
beliefs and expectations.

What is conformity?

Conformity is the act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors

to group norms or politics. ... People often choose to conform to society rather than to
pursue personal desires because it is often easier to follow the path others have made
already, rather than creating a new one.

Examples of conformity:

Wearing clothing like the people you work with or go to school with for reasons
other than it is your preference.
Doing the same type of entertainment as the person you want to date even if you
have absolutely no interest in it.
Wearing your pants (if you are male) falling off your butt.
Dressing like most of the other people around you (having no individuality.
Using the same limited vocabulary as the crowd you run with.
Watching the same movies or videos or playing the same games as your friends.

Why you need to avoid conformity in your workplace?

 Fostering diversity in your workplace is key to running a smart, innovative, and
productive company. But diversity in race, religious creeds, and sexual orientation is
only part of what a successful business needs.

Game playing - Let go of rigid roles and foster a culture where people are allowed to
express what makes them unique.

What is groupthink?

• Groupthink is a tendency for decision-making groups to suppress opposing

viewpoints in order to preserve group harmony.
• Although groupthink involves restricting opinions, it is not actively and
intentionally pursued. Instead, groupthink is a psychological tendency to
unintentionally reduce opposition in hopes of reducing tension, increasing
cohesion, and quickly reaching a decision.
• Groupthink can also be viewed as a form of peer pressure exerted by majority
leaders on those team members that are less willing to conform.

Reasons Groupthink occurs:

There are many reasons that groupthink is prevalent among decision-making teams.
1. Individual team members experience the need for approval from other team
members, which is supported by the common human desire of acceptance.
2. By suppressing contradicting views, a team member is able to reduce conflict,
which leads to an enhanced perception of self worth.
3. The main purpose of teams is to achieve a common goal, and anything that
interferes with successfully achieving the goal is avoided at all costs.
4. A group of individuals often want to minimize conflict between team members in
order to maintain a pleasant environment, and the most common instigator of
conflict is disagreement.
5. Teams often have a limited number of resources and time to achieve a goal,
which makes teams look for any way to reach a consensus while preserving
resources and time.

How to minimize the occurrence of groupthink?

Since groupthink is not an active an intentional process, it is critical for managers

and project leaders to identify proactive ways to decrease the likelihood that a team,
regardless of size, will succumb to the tendency for groupthink. The following ideas are
not guaranteed to eliminate groupthink; however, these recommendations surely
decrease the likelihood that groupthink will occur, and can decrease the severity of
groupthink, when it does occur.

• Appoint multiple, and diverse, team leaders to ensure the acceptance of a wide
variety of viewpoints and opinions during any discussions.
• Team leaders should not state any expectations or preferences before a
discussion begins to reduce the effect of priming on the decision-making
process.
• Team leaders should reiterate the importance of each member contributing to the
discussion in a substantive manner and critically evaluating all suggestions,
regardless of initial feelings of reservation.
• Encourage individuality to foster diversity appreciation and increase diversity
awareness among team members.

What is conflict?

Conflict is a common occurrence on teams. Conflict itself can be defined as

antagonistic interactions in which one party tries to block the actions or decisions of
another party. Bringing conflicts out into the open where they can be resolved is an
important part of the team leader's or manager's job.

Ways to minimize conflict in the organization?

• Provide conflict resolution training.

• Provide communication skills training.
• Help staff develop positive work relationships.
• Implement team building activities.
• Develop strong communication channels.
• Create an environment that encourages participation.
• Provide conflict mediation training for leaders.
• Provide third-party conflict mediation services.
• Make sure employees are clear about organizational goals and priorities.
• Treat everyone fairly.