What the Asch Conformity Experiments Teach Us About Leadership

What the Asch Conformity Experiments Teach Us About Leadership

By Mark Wager

Leadership isn’t just about making decisions or setting goals—it’s about creating an environment where people can thrive, contribute, and innovate. But here’s the tricky part: human behaviour is complicated, especially when it comes to group dynamics. Sometimes, people will follow the crowd, even when they know it’s wrong. Why? Because the pressure to conform can be stronger than the desire to be right.

This is exactly what the Asch Conformity Experiments uncovered in the 1950s. Conducted by social psychologist Solomon Asch, these studies explored how group pressure influences individual behaviour. The results are fascinating—and, for leaders, incredibly insightful.

Let’s dive into what happened in the Asch experiments and, more importantly, what they mean for you as a leader.

What Were the Asch Conformity Experiments?

Imagine this: you’re sitting in a room with a small group of people. You’re all shown two cards—one with a single line and another with three lines of different lengths. Your task is simple: match the single line to the line of the same length on the other card. Easy, right?

Now, here’s the twist. You’re the only real participant in the group. Everyone else is an actor working with the experimenter, and they’ve been instructed to give the wrong answer on purpose during certain rounds.

What do you do when it’s your turn to answer? Do you go with what you know is right, or do you follow the group, even though you can clearly see they’re wrong?

This was the scenario in Asch’s experiments. The results were eye-opening:

• 75% of participants conformed at least once, giving the same incorrect answer as the group.

• On average, 37% of responses were conforming, even when the correct answer was obvious.

The experiments demonstrated how easily people conform to group norms, even against their own judgment, simply because they don’t want to stand out or feel like the odd one out.

Why Do People Conform?

Before we look at what this means for leadership, let’s break down why people conform in the first place.

1. Normative Influence:

This is the desire to fit in. People conform because they want to be liked, accepted, and avoid standing out. Nobody wants to be the “difficult one” or risk being rejected by the group.

2. Informational Influence:

This is when people doubt their own judgment and assume the group must be right. After all, if everyone else sees something differently, maybe you’re the one who’s wrong.

In Asch’s experiments, both of these influences were at play. But here’s the thing—these same dynamics are alive and well in today’s workplaces, and they can have a huge impact on team performance and decision-making.

The Risks of Conformity in Leadership

Now, think about what this means in a leadership context. As a leader, you’re responsible for guiding your team, making decisions, and driving results. But if conformity is running the show, it can undermine everything you’re trying to achieve.

1. Groupthink

Have you ever been in a meeting where everyone seems to agree on an idea, even though something about it feels off? That’s groupthink—a phenomenon where people prioritise harmony and consensus over critical thinking and honest debate.

Groupthink can lead to poor decisions, missed opportunities, and even organisational failure. Why? Because people are too afraid to speak up, challenge assumptions, or offer alternative perspectives.

2. Stifled Innovation

Innovation thrives on diverse ideas, bold thinking, and a willingness to take risks. But if people feel pressured to conform, they’re unlikely to share unconventional or unpopular ideas. Over time, this creates a culture where creativity is stifled, and the status quo reigns supreme.

3. Poor Decision-Making

In the Asch experiments, participants often conformed because they doubted their own judgment. The same thing happens in teams when individuals assume the majority must be right. This can lead to decisions that aren’t based on the best information or reasoning.

What Can Leaders Do to Counteract Conformity?

Here’s the good news: as a leader, you have the power to shape your team’s culture and create an environment where people feel safe to speak up, challenge ideas, and share their perspectives. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Create Psychological Safety

Psychological safety is the foundation of effective teamwork. It’s about creating a culture where people feel comfortable expressing themselves without fear of embarrassment, criticism, or rejection.

Think about the last time you hesitated to share an idea. Maybe you thought it wasn’t good enough, or you worried about how others would react. Now imagine if your entire team felt that way. That’s the danger of a psychologically unsafe environment.

As a leader, you can foster psychological safety by:

• Listening actively and respectfully to all contributions.

• Avoiding blame when mistakes happen.

• Acknowledging your own uncertainties and encouraging others to do the same.

2. Encourage Dissent and Debate

One of the key findings from the Asch experiments was that conformity dropped significantly when just one other person in the group disagreed with the majority. That lone dissenting voice gave participants the confidence to trust their own judgment.

As a leader, you can be that voice—or better yet, create a culture where dissent is welcomed.

Here’s a simple trick: during team discussions, ask questions like, “What are we missing?” or “Does anyone see this differently?” These questions signal that it’s okay to challenge the consensus.

3. Lead by Example

Your team takes cues from you. If you model open-mindedness, curiosity, and a willingness to challenge the status quo, your team is more likely to follow suit.

For example, if you’re in a meeting and everyone seems to agree on a decision, pause and say, “Let’s play devil’s advocate for a moment—what’s the counterargument here?” This not only encourages critical thinking but also shows that you value diverse perspectives.

4. Separate Idea Generation from Decision-Making

One way to reduce conformity is to separate the processes of brainstorming and decision-making. During brainstorming, focus on generating as many ideas as possible without evaluating them. Save the evaluation for later, once all ideas are on the table.

This approach reduces the pressure to conform and ensures that all voices are heard.

5. Build Diverse Teams

Diversity—whether in terms of background, experience, or thinking style—naturally reduces conformity. When people bring different perspectives to the table, it’s harder for groupthink to take hold.

As a leader, prioritise diversity when building your team and create opportunities for collaboration across departments or disciplines.

Why This Matters Now

In today’s fast-paced and complex world, the ability to think critically, challenge assumptions, and adapt to change is more important than ever. Leaders who understand the risks of conformity and actively work to counteract it will have a significant advantage.

The Asch Conformity Experiments might be decades old, but their lessons are timeless. They remind us that the pressure to conform is a powerful force—but so is the courage to stand out.

Final Thoughts

Leadership isn’t about enforcing consensus or maintaining harmony at all costs. It’s about creating the conditions where people feel empowered to share their ideas, challenge the status quo, and trust their own judgment.

So, here’s a question for you: are you leading a team that values conformity, or are you building a culture where diverse ideas and honest debate thrive?

The answer might just be the key to unlocking your team’s full potential. And that’s a lesson Solomon Asch would undoubtedly agree with.