Master The Meritocracy—How To Fight HiPPOs And Obligate Dissent

Most organizations eventually fall into the trap of listening to the 'HiPPO'—the Highest Paid Person’s Opinion—and letting it drown out better ideas from the less powerful. But Google and other winning companies flipped this order, insisting that every proposal stand or fall on its logic, evidence, or user value, not on who’s speaking. This wasn’t just an informal practice; it meant founders and top executives routinely lost arguments to junior employees and publicly thanked them for dissent.

Importantly, dissent wasn’t a suggestion, it was an obligation: if you saw a blind spot or flaw and failed to speak up—and things went wrong—you shared the blame. The burden of challenging consensus rested on everyone, which turned debate into an expected, respected part of culture. The data-driven, argument-based approach extended to hiring, product launches, and even ethical decisions. Leaders held themselves accountable to cede when out-debated, reinforcing a loop where the best ideas won, not just the loudest or most expensive voices.

In behavioral science, this reflects the concept of 'psychological safety': people do their most creative, hard-hitting work when they know they’re allowed, even expected, to challenge authority—and nobody will get punished for being honest.

The next time your group makes a decision, explicitly say that the best idea—not the loudest or most experienced voice—should win. Tell everyone that they’re responsible for raising concerns or alternatives, and remind them it’s not just a right, but a duty. If someone presents strong data or reasoning that beats your own opinion, accept it and step out of the way—let everyone see you do it. Lastly, make a habit of directly inviting more reserved team members into the discussion—they might be sitting on your next breakthrough. Expect a few lively debates, but watch your results improve.