Denial Class Discussion Questions - I would suggest that you develop notes for these.
1. What is denial and what problems does it lead to?
2. What caused the downfall of the US tire industry?
3. How does group think affect organizations?
4. How can an organization avoid a "yes-man' culture?
5. A&P successfully managed the market for a long time. Discuss their successes and what ultimately lead to their failure. Was it destroyed by fire or did it rust away?
6. What initially did Sears do right?
7. What role did talent or lack thereof play in denial at Sears? What does "beware the monument" mean?
8. What was the root cause of IBM's problems?
9. What role does denial play in the development of speculative bubbles?
10. How did the "madness of crowds" ultimately affect Webvan?
11. What role does culture play on the impact of denial within an organization - Ford vs. DuPont
12. What role does inclusiveness play in the success of an organization?
13. Explain the phrase "Denial is not a matter of intelligence. It is a matter of point of view."
14. What did Johnson &Johnson do to prevent it from falling prey to denial?
15. What does the author recommend to combat denial?
16. What role do Cassandras play in an organization?
17. Do you agree with the statement "Denial goes hand in hand with short-term thinking." Why or why not?
18. What role does language play in denial - see page 211 - 212."Wise. Relevant. Riveting."
Resource: -Jim Collins, author of Good to Great and I low the Mighty Fall DENIAL Why Business Leaders Fail to Look Facts in the Face and What to Do About It by RICHARD S. TEDLOW.