Decision story

Decision story: Should decision making be democratic?

While democracy has its merits, it may not always be the best approach for forward-looking strategies. Consider the cases of Kodak and BlackBerry.

Most of hashtag#Kodak's leadership believed that consumers preferred physical photographs over digital ones. Their advertising targeted housewives, emphasizing the ease of use and convenience of their cameras for capturing family moments and creating physical albums. This majority opinion overshadowed the insights of Vince Barabba, head of market intelligence, who saw the potential for digital photography to replace Kodak's film-based business.

Similarly, hashtag#BlackBerry's founders were attached to the physical buttons and keyboards on their devices, catering to their core corporate customers who favored these features. Despite Larry Conlee, a top lieutenant to co-CEO Mike Lazaridis, recognizing the iPhone's potential, the majority of BlackBerry's leadership believed the iPhone wouldn't threaten their core corporate segment.

So, in your next strategy meeting, don't simply go with the majority. Be rational and make decisions that are forward-thinking.

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