The HiPPO in the room
If you don’t know who it is, it might be you…
Ungainly as they are, hippos are the world's deadliest large land mammal, killing an estimated 500 people per year in Africa. They are known for their territorial behaviour, and easily become aggressive if they feel threatened. Hippos can capsize boats and canoes, attack people who are swimming, and even charge at people on land. And given they can weigh up to 2,750kg (more than 3 US tons), they are not animals to take lightly. Pun absolutely intended 🙂
But why am I starting this Substack with a lesson in natural history? Isn’t this about leadership, and sweating the small stuff?
Well, today I want to introduce you the HiPPO, which is potentially just as dangerous as their African namesakes (in their own way), but much less well known.
So what is a HiPPO?
In almost every meeting or discussion, there is someone present whose job title and pay grade put them in a position of influence. Their opinions are known as HiPPOs – the Highest Paid Person’s Opinion – and their views are often the deciding factor in what decisions and next steps a team takes.
Even if we aren’t certain who the highest paid person is, we have a natural human instinct to try and figure out the pecking order in any group. In the absence of job titles, the holder of the HiPPO becomes the person perceived as most powerful, which could simply be down to their confidence, volume of speech, body language and so on.
Either way, we internally designate the HiPPO, often subconsciously, and act accordingly. (To read up on the origins of the term, have a look here.)
What effects does the HiPPO have?
The HiPPO can have subtle yet significant impacts on the effectiveness of teams, through influencing the way they think and act. This includes:
Reducing diversity of thought
Once the HiPPO has been expressed, evidence suggests their perspective often becomes the prevailing view in the discussion, reducing the range and creativity of ideas discussed. This creates a form of confirmation bias, where ideas are unchallenged and feedback or alternatives are not offered. Underlying this is our human need to belong, making us instinctively align with the person we perceive to have power – and who therefore also potentially has the power to exclude us if we do something they don’t like.
Over-reliance on authority
HiPPOs can create authority bias, where others assume the person sharing that opinion is the expert because they are the most senior, highest paid, and/or most experienced. Others who have relevant expertise or better information may not speak up due to the perception that the HiPPO must be correct. This over-reliance on authority can lead to poorer decisions being made.
Reduced accountability and engagement
When decisions made to align with the HiPPO, with no other opinions considered, it can lead to a lack of accountability and engagement. Doing things only because “my boss said so” is rarely healthy. If things go wrong, it’s too easy to simply shift blame back to the person who made the decision. Equally, team members are less likely to be engaged and committed if they feel they have made no contribution to a decision, or that their opinions have been ignored.
Missed opportunities
The holder of the HiPPO doesn’t know everything. When decisions are based only on the HiPPO, organisations miss opportunities to learn from a broader range of experiences and perspectives. Wider opportunities may be missed simply because they are never considered, or never listened to. All of this hinders growth and learning, both of the individuals involved and the organisation. It also increases risk, as potential risks are less likely to have been considered before a decision is made.
What can you do about the HiPPO?
Just like their African counterparts, it is possible to stay safe from the HiPPO (FYI in the case of the large, grumpy African mammal, the advice I’ve been given is never to get between a hippo and water).
In the professional world, there are a few things you can do to mitigate the effects of a HiPPO:
Be aware and be careful when you speak
Do you hold the HiPPO? If so, be careful about when you open your mouth to express an opinion, you might just shut down the rest of the discussion. Sometimes that’s a helpful thing, but be careful not to do it when you don’t intend to.
If it’s not you, notice if you’re resistant to expressing a different opinion because the HiPPO has been spoken aloud. Acknowledge any discomfort and try to speak up anyway.
Use structured discussions and decision-making processes
Structure can help you to mitigate the impact of the HiPPO. In discussions, being proactive about managing who speaks when can be helpful, as can sharing contributions in a different way e.g. via post-its on the wall or in pairs or small groups first. Decision matrices, cost-benefit analysis etc. can also help ensure decisions are more evidence based and systematic, not simply gravitating towards one dominant opinion.
Create an environment of open communication
Encourage dissent, and if you’re the HiPP(O), be intentional about how you react and respond when someone offers a different perspective. Thanking them, and being clear you value that perspective will send a message to others that it is safe for them to express their thoughts too.
Create and hold space for a variety of contributions, and show that you value them, even if that is not the direction you ultimately take. Rushing also makes it more likely everyone will converge on the HiPPO.
Cultivate a culture of feedback and review
Regularly seeking and offering feedback, with a healthy balance of positive and constructive comment, helps encourage the team to speak up. A little and often approach to feedback helps normalise it, and embeds a process of review, reflection and learning. This can help improve everyone’s thinking, including the HiPPO.
So what do you think? Is there anywhere professionally where you’re the HiPPO? Or places where you notice yourself self-censoring due to the presence of a HiPPO? Which of these tactics are you going to try? Leave a comment or hit reply and let me know.
And because it’s rare I get the chance to dig around on the internet for fun pictures of hippos, here’s another one just for you.
PS: Thanks for bearing with me through some of the grammatical gymnastics required for this post🤸♀️ Apologies for any remaining errors…
Meme of the week
Absolutely no relation to the topic for this week, but this one both hit hard and made me laugh 🤣
Last chance to join the next Small Stuff, Big Impact workshop
My next Small Stuff Big Impact Workshop will take place on 25th March at 4pm GMT – this is your last chance to register!
Unlock the hidden power of small, everyday interactions with "Small Stuff, Big Impact: Discover the transformative power of micro-interactions" – this live, online (and complimentary) workshop will introduce you to the world of micro-interactions – those small, seemingly inconsequential moments that have a profound impact on your team’s engagement and performance. If you’re leading or managing others, mastering these moments is essential to building stronger relationships and creating a more motivated, connected team.
In this 60-minute introductory workshop, you will:
🌟 Learn what micro-interactions are and why they matter in leadership.
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