Strategies that can assist in forestalling The Abilene Paradox are those which can create an organizational atmosphere that promotes alternative views and encourages group members to express their concerns and reservations. In such an environment, negative fantasies and anxieties are reduced. The first and most effective strategy is to examine alternatives and generate contingency planning. This strategy compels individual members to think of many solutions to the problem. Group members should be encouraged to propose multiple solutions for each problem arising. As a group leader, it is important to always have a plan B and perhaps plan C and D.
Another important strategy is to increase the group size or make the group heterogeneous. The cozy dynamics of the group should be broken by making it bigger and introducing people from different backgrounds, problem-solving styles, and opinions. Such people are in a better position to challenge consensus and reveal the blind spots of the group. In addition, creating multiple affiliations can assist in forestalling The Abilene Paradox. This can be achieved by having the members interact with other teams. They should be exposed to other viewpoints and be given other support they can turn to when they have a disagreement with the main group.
Mismanaged agreement occurs when group members, as participants in a team decision, submissively follow without communicating their opinions or reservations to the group. Therefore, one way to recognize the need to “manage agreement” is to examine the level of understanding an individual member has in regard to organizational goals and objectives. Jones considers organizational goals and objectives as effective measures of organizational effectiveness. He asserts that managers establish goals and use them to assess how well the organization is performing. Likewise, effective group decisions can only be influenced by the set goals and objectives of the team members to understand them fully.