GroupthinkThe explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. The Bay of Pigs invasion. The debacle of the Korean War (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 between those people, and a high level of interdependence among everyone involved (Trenholm 196-97). Understanding group dynamics is essential for a variety of reasons. Everyone participates in groups throughout their lives, and these groups are often very goal-oriented. Business, nonprofit organizations, and municipalities all use groups to make decisions. Sometimes a condition known as groupthink can arise in groups that are extremely task- and goal-oriented. Groupthink is “a mode of thinking in which people engage 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 could cause. This article was designed to raise awareness of groupthink and to provide some suggestions that can help task-oriented groups avoid this condition. To understand groupthink, it is essential to have a basic knowledge of group communication dynamics. Once this is accomplished, some symptoms of groupthink will be explored and solutions proposed. Much work has been done on the subject of groupthink, but the most authoritative documentation on the subject 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 some group thinking can be beneficial in small groups..