HIPPO – Highest Paid Person’s Opinion
GEN Thomas, the Commander of Special Operations Command, recently gave a talk on cyber where he referred to the HIPPO and described the HIPPO as, “the most senior or highest person opining or making decisions where they are the least technically competent.”
Sound familiar PAO?
This happens all the time right? This happens, especially in great organizations where we crowd source solutions and take in multiple opinions. If there is a strategic decision to make, centered around a communication issue, you will get a lot of opinions and direction. You will always hear from the loudest person in the room and you will hear from the HIPPO.
My favorite saying about this, “Eating dinner every night doesn’t make you a chef anymore than reading the news makes you a PAO.”
Here are your tips to deal:
Be Good: I know, this website is a broken record. Its true, if you want your opinion to be respected you have to be good. You get good by listening to people who are good, reading and gaining experience.
Act Good: A public affairs mentor of ours recently said, “I think most would be surprised at how far minimal skill, a bit of confidence, a little bravado and big balls will get you.”
Listen: Many of the opinions you hear are probably pretty good. Smart people with different perspectives will always make you better. If you show you are listening, people will appreciate that and increasingly support your recommendation.
Be Direct and Decisive: You have to take in the entire situation from a well informed perspective then come up with a recommendation that you are prepared defend, will all the pros, cons, second and third order effects. You have to get access to the HIPPO and stare him into the eyes and tell him your recommendation, firmly and with confidence.
Sound easy? It will be. You’ll be wrong a bunch (and live), you might get overruled by someone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about. That’s all fine, life is about learning.
If you Be Good, Act Good and Listen you will gain a reputation in your organization of a person who knows what the fuck they’re talking about.
Now go and do likewise.
