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Conformity Bias: Why Chiefs of Staff & EAs Go Along with the Crowd (Even When They Shouldn’t)
- Meg Steinschauer, MBA
- Mar 17
- 7 min read
Ever been in one of those meetings where everyone’s nodding in agreement, and you’re internally screaming, "But... this is a disaster waiting to happen!" Yet, you stay silent because, well, everyone else seems fine. Maybe you start questioning yourself: "Am I missing something? Maybe they know something I don’t." That, my friends, is conformity bias in action—the tendency to align with group opinions, even when your gut tells you something’s off.
For Chiefs of Staff and Executive Assistants, who often straddle the delicate balance between being a trusted advisor and a loyal team player, conformity bias can be particularly tricky. You’re in the room to ensure decisions are well-rounded and effective, but sometimes, playing along feels safer than speaking up. After all, no one wants to be the lone dissenting voice, right? Yet, when we go with the flow just to avoid rocking the boat, it can lead to bad calls, wasted resources, and outcomes that could harm the very organization we’re supporting. Recognizing and overcoming this bias isn’t just important—it’s critical for ensuring your voice helps steer decisions in the right direction.
What Is Conformity Bias?
Conformity bias is our brain’s way of whispering, “Follow the herd, or you’ll look like the odd one out.” It’s the tendency to align your opinions with the group, even if your gut says otherwise. It's stealthy, sneaky, and sometimes, completely subconscious.
Why does it happen?
Social pressure – "Everyone agrees already... am I seeing it wrong?"
Desire for acceptance – "I don’t want to be the one who’s ‘difficult.’"
Fear of consequences – "Disagreeing might hurt my reputation."
The illusion of consensus – "If no one’s objecting, it must be okay."
Your brain is wired for safety, and sticking with the group feels safe. But in leadership support roles, where decisions carry weight and consequences, this instinct can backfire.
“The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity.” – Rollo May
The Silent Danger of Groupthink
Studies show that dissenting from the group triggers discomfort in your brain’s decision-making areas (Wu et al., 2016). That’s why even when something feels off, you might find yourself smiling and nodding along. But silence doesn’t equal agreement—it’s just silence.
Famous Last Words of a Conformity Bias Victim:
"Everyone else seemed fine with it, so I didn’t say anything."
How Conformity Bias Shows Up for Chiefs of Staff and EAs
You’d think, working closely with leadership, that dissent would be part of the job description. But more often than not, conformity bias quietly finds its way into your role. Here’s how:
1️⃣ The "Unanimous" Decision That’s Not Really Unanimous
Scenario: Your executive team is rallying behind a new budget cut. You’ve got concerns—big ones—but everyone else is nodding. You don’t want to be the lone voice of dissent, so you stay silent.
What you tell yourself:
“If no one else is objecting, maybe I’m overthinking it.”
“It’s not my call anyway.”
The truth? Silence doesn’t mean agreement. Oftentimes, it just means no one wants to be the first to speak up.
Better move:
“Before we finalise, should we stress-test this decision? What’s the biggest risk we’re overlooking?”
(This plants a seed of doubt without directly challenging anyone—smooth and effective.)
2️⃣ The “Because That’s How We’ve Always Done It” Rule
Scenario: There’s an outdated process you know is inefficient. But no one’s questioning it because, well, “that’s just how things are done.”
What you tell yourself:
“If it’s been around this long, it must work—right?”
“I don’t want to be the one to stir the pot.”
The truth? Sometimes, long-standing processes survive simply because no one’s challenged them.
Better move:
“Has anyone questioned why we do it this way? What would happen if we tried a different approach?”
(The polite way of saying, “This process is older than the company coffee machine. We can do better.”)
3️⃣ The Overhyped Executive Idea
Scenario: Your executive’s brimming with excitement about a new initiative. Everyone else is nodding like they’re at a Beyoncé concert—but you’ve got doubts it’ll work.
What you tell yourself:
“They’re passionate, so maybe I’m missing something.”
“It’s their decision at the end of the day.”
The truth? People often go along with executive ideas out of deference to power, even if they have private doubts.
Better move:
“That’s an exciting idea—how do we pressure-test it before committing?”
(This frames your concern as helpful rather than oppositional.)
4️⃣ The Silent Approval of a Bad Culture Fit
Scenario: A brilliant-but-toxic hire is doing more damage than good, but no one speaks up because leadership seems to love them.
What you tell yourself:
“If leadership doesn’t see it, maybe I’m overreacting.”
“It’s not my place to challenge a hiring decision.”
The truth? Everyone assumes someone else will raise the alarm—but that rarely happens.
Better move:
“I’ve noticed some early culture challenges—should we keep an eye on how this plays out?”
(A subtle nudge that puts the issue on their radar without ruffling feathers.)
Why Chiefs of Staff and EAs Are Especially Susceptible to Conformity Bias
The closer you are to leadership, the harder it can be to swim against the tide. Here’s why:
You’re Close to Power: Disagreeing with the person who signs your pay checks? Terrifying.
You’re a Trusted Advisor: Keeping their trust feels more important than rocking the boat.
You Adapt to Organisational Norms: If conformity is baked into the culture, it’s harder to break the mould.
You Enable Leadership: You’re hired to facilitate decisions, not sabotage them—or so it feels.
But here’s the kicker—the best Chiefs of Staff and EAs don’t just enable; they elevate their leadership by asking the hard questions and spotting the gaps others won’t.
“If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.” – George S. Patton
How to Avoid Conformity Bias
(Without Being “That Person”)
The key to shaking off conformity bias isn’t about being contrarian for the sake of it. It’s about encouraging healthy dissent and constructive debate. Here’s how:
1️⃣Normalise Constructive Disagreement
If a room full of people is always on the same page, it’s a red flag. Create opportunities for structured dissent by asking:
“What’s the strongest counterargument to this idea?”
“What’s the worst-case scenario if this goes wrong?”
Leaders respect critical thinking over blind agreement.
2️⃣ Spot “Groupthink” Red Flags
Learn to challenge phrases like:
“We all agree this is the best approach, right?”
“No one objected, so we’re aligned.”
Silence ≠ alignment. When clarity is murky, create space for hesitations to surface organically by asking open-ended questions.
3️⃣ Frame Your Concerns as Risk Analysis
Instead of saying, “I don’t think this will work,” try:
“How do we mitigate risk if this doesn’t go as planned?”
This keeps the conversation strategic—no one likes “doom and gloom” perspectives.
4️⃣ Build Strategic Alliances
If you’re hesitant to speak up, check in with a trusted colleague first. If they share your concerns, odds are you’re not alone.
5️⃣ Speak the Language of Solutions
Executives don’t want complaints; they want action. Pair your challenge with a suggested way forward—this turns focus from problem to possibility.
The Conformity Trap Is Easy to Avoid (When You’re Aware)
Conformity bias is baked into human behaviour, but being mindful of its influence puts you ahead. Break the cycle by normalising dissent, reframing doubt as strategy, and fostering cultural spaces where alternative views are welcomed, not feared.
Ditch Conformity Bias—Be a Strategic Challenger
Conformity bias might be ingrained, but it’s far from unbeatable. At its core, conformity bias is fear dressed as safety. But great administrative professionals aren’t hired to fit in—they’re hired to be the bridge between leadership’s vision and reality.
The best teams? They’re not the ones that agree all the time. They’re the ones willing to challenge, question, and improve at every step.
Next time you sit in a boardroom sipping your second coffee of the morning, and everyone agrees just a little too eagerly, take a deep breath, and ask yourself:
Are we genuinely aligned?
Or just conforming?
By encouraging healthy disagreement and framing your concerns constructively, you empower yourself—and your team—to make smarter, stronger decisions.
Meg ✌️
PS - Want to Dive Deeper?
Check out these research papers on leadership psychology & decision-making biases:
➡️ Toelch, U., & Dolan, R. (2015). Informational and Normative Influences in Conformity from a Neurocomputational Perspective. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 19, 579-589. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2015.07.007
➡️Germar, M., Albrecht, T., Voss, A., & Mojzisch, A. (2016). Social conformity is due to biased stimulus processing: electrophysiological and diffusion analyses.. Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 11 9, 1449-59. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsw050
➡️Toyokawa, W., & Gaissmaier, W. (2021). Conformist social learning leads to self-organised prevention against adverse bias in risky decision making. eLife, 11. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.02.22.432286
➡️Wu, H., Luo, Y., & Feng, C. (2016). Neural signatures of social conformity: A coordinate-based activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of functional brain imaging studies. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 71, 101-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.038
➡️Li, L., Li, K., & Li, J. (2019). Private but not social information validity modulates social conformity bias. Human Brain Mapping, 40, 2464 - 2474. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.24536
P.P.S.
Why do I even have the nerve to write this? Good question.
Honestly, I’m just someone who’s spent years working with incredible executives, navigating the chaos, and figuring things out along the way. I’ve had the privilege of being the right hand to some truly inspiring leaders, learning from every challenge, misstep, and breakthrough.
I also happen to have an MBA (if that counts for anything) and I’m currently studying organisational psychology, mostly because I find people and how we work together endlessly fascinating.
But really, none of that is the point. I’m just here to share what I’ve learned, in case it helps someone else. Take what’s useful, leave the rest, and know that you’re already doing far better than you probably give yourself credit for.
Now, go be brilliant. ✨
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