The Abilene Paradox comes into play when a group of people decide on a course of action that is counter to the preference of all the individuals in the group. This occurs because everyone presumes that the others want that course of action and agree in an attempt to please them.
You might think this rarely happens but if people feel like they are not free to give their views, it can happen even for the simplest of things like deciding where to go for lunch or which movie to watch.
The key to avoiding the Abilene Paradox is creating an environment where people can share their views without fear and apprehension. This is essential because there really is no point in following a course of action that no one is happy about!
Make sure to watch this short film on the Abilene Paradox if you’d like to see a real life example!
https://youtu.be/H7m6byv89mc