During my last holiday I once again found myself reading about cognitive biases and decision-making.
At this point I’m starting to suspect that my holiday reading is slowly turning into blog material.
One concept that caught my attention this time was the messenger effect. The idea is simple: People often judge information not only on its content, but also on who delivers it.
And while reading about it, I realised I had seen a particular version of this dynamic more than once in organisations. Almost like a reversed version of the Not-Invented-Here syndrome.
When ideas sound different depending on who says them
Most organisations know the classic Not-Invented-Here syndrome. Ideas coming from outside are rejected because they were not invented internally.
But sometimes the opposite happens. An idea proposed by someone inside the organisation is questioned, analysed, and debated. Until eventually an external consultant arrives. The consultant explains the situation, proposes a direction… and the room suddenly agrees.
The interesting part is that the advice often sounds very familiar. Because someone inside the organisation had already said something very similar. A moment I’ve seen more than once.
I remember a meeting where exactly that happened. An internal colleague had been raising a certain idea for some time. The arguments were solid, but the discussion kept circling around doubts and alternative interpretations.
Then later an external consultant was asked to review the situation.
After analysing the problem, the consultant explained the recommended direction. People in the room nodded.
“That makes sense.”
The internal colleague looked surprised. And perhaps a little frustrated. The idea had not really changed. Only the messenger had.
The messenger effect
Looking back, this dynamic is a clear example of the messenger effect. The credibility of an idea is sometimes influenced less by the argument itself, and more by who presents it. External consultants are often perceived as neutral experts. Internal colleagues are sometimes seen as part of the system that created the problem.
Even if the internal person understands the context far better.
A leadership reflection
This observation left me with an uncomfortable reflection. Sometimes organisations do not need new ideas. They need the same idea delivered by a different messenger. And sometimes the real issue is not the idea itself, but how it is communicated.
That raises a leadership question. Are we listening carefully enough to the expertise that already exists inside the organisation? And are we giving our people the tools, support and trust they need to make their ideas heard?
A question for leaders
Maybe the real leadership challenge is not finding the best ideas. Maybe it is recognising them when they already exist within the organisation. Because sometimes the difference between a rejected idea and an accepted one is surprisingly small.
It is simply who says it.
And the real question becomes:
Are we listening to the best ideas… or simply to the most credible messenger?
Another reflection inspired by reading about cognitive biases and how they influence leadership decisions.