In 1974 the management scholar Jerry B. Harvey published “The Abilene Paradox: The Management of Agreement.” It begins with a family in Coleman, Texas, playing dominoes. The father-in-law suggests driving 50 miles to Abilene for dinner. “Sounds like a great idea,” says the wife. “Sounds good to me,” says the husband. “Of course I want to go,” says the mother-in-law.
The trip is miserable. Back home, each of them admits that they never wanted to go. Each had gone along with what they thought the others wanted.