11.4.4.3 Awareness of warning signals, group splits and second-chance meetings

The seventh recommendation requires listing and discussing all warning signals of rival nations or organisations. The same can be applied to competitors in business. An assessment of the intentions of the other party is key in order to prevent groups from starting concurrence seeking. The eighth recommendation advises splitting the group into two or more subgroups and meeting separately with a different chairman to discuss the same issue. After these separate sessions, the subgroups come together and share their findings and results. The ninth and final remedy offered by Janis is the ‘second-chance meeting’. After a certain decision has been made, the members of the group should come back. In such a meeting all the members must communicate their rethinks and possible objections to the proposal.