When groups gather, they have a tendency to share information that everyone in the group already knows, called ‘shared information’, rather than new ideas or information, called ‘unshared information’. This tendency often results from groups meeting to reach a consensus on an issue and is particularly prominent when under time pressure.
This means we are often discussing ideas, opinions and options that do not challenge our thinking or encourage more informed decision-making. Some of the ways to challenge this issue are to include people with divergent views, and intentionally discussing new topics rather than following the same agenda at meetings.
