ABSTRACT
This chapter explores contrarian and “red team” crews. Organizations frequently suffer from groupthink and stagnation. The novel thinking of contrarian crews can help address these problems. Contrarian crews and red teams are best used when formed and mobilized to challenge habitual approaches, assumptions, and patterns of thinking. The goal of a red team, whether in business, first response, the military, or sports, is to come up with “what if?” scenarios to challenge assumptions and identify biases. The objective of red teams and contrarian crews is not to be right all the time, but to identify and play out potentially damaging scenarios. While they can be helpful any time a plan of action needs to be challenged, they are especially valuable in times of momentous change. Crisis situations require divergent thinking. Complex and chaotic environments require dissenters who can critique and challenge the ways the organization usually gets things done.
