#ThinkfullyHabit: Beware the hippo in the room
Ever been in the scenario where the opinion of most senior person in the room tramples over everything else regardless of what others think or what the evidence suggests? In this case you're at the mercy of the Hippo.
The Hippo is the Highest Paid Person’s Opinion. Avinash Kaushik first coined the term in his book ‘Web Analytics: An Hour a Day', to describe how people respond when there’s a lack of data. His observation was that when the person with the highest status gives their view, what they say goes.
Richard Nisbett, Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan, suggests many businesses operate on the Hippo principle and people tend to defer to the opinion of the leader unquestionably (usually the highest paid and most powerful person in the room) and follow that opinion, regardless of whether they believe it is right or not. Yes, it happens when there’s an absence of data but it can also happen when there is data that’s dismissed just because it doesn’t fit with the Hippo. Either way, what may be an unvalidated gut response from a Hippo may well carry a disproportionate weight and kill off the ideas of others. Inevitably this means bad ideas may be progressed and good ideas overlooked. Hippo’s themselves and those working around Hippo’s should beware.
WHY?
A study by Balazs Szatmari at the Rotterdam School of Management* found that projects led by junior managers were more likely to be successful than those led by high status leaders. When led by junior managers, employees felt far more able to voice their opinions and give critical feedback. Szatmari believes that projects led by senior leaders fail more because of the unconditional support they tend to get.
It's not that the highest paid person in the room shouldn’t have opinions. It’s not even that all opinions are equal. Instead, it's that more notice should be given to those who have the most relevant experience and are most in touch with the issue in question, regardless of seniority or status. The trick? Not to get confused between expertise and seniority.
Here are some ways to deal with Hippo situations:
Make it explicit (to yourself and to others) when opinions are based on expertise and experience - and when they are not.
When others have more relevant experience, speak last not first. Listen out for other views.
Don’t always expect the most senior person in the room to have the ‘right’ answer. Often there is an immense unspoken pressure on the most senior person to come up with all the best answers, which doesn’t help anyone.
Test ideas, gather data, conduct experiments.
Surround yourself with diverse-minded people who are not frightened to challenge views and who are unlikely to simply nod and smile at whatever is said.
People need to be able to question their seniors, put forward evidence and give alternative ideas and views. Alfred Sloan, Chairman and CEO of General Motors may have had a good point when he advocated that decisions shouldn’t be taken until someone had expressed why the preferred option might not be the right one.
Anyone disagree?
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