Why Leaders Don't Ask for Input

Even though being inclusive is a popular leadership trait these days, there are still reasons that leaders don't ask for input. Whether you're a leader feeling hesitant about seeing what everyone thinks of your idea, or you're an individual contributor wondering why your leader never asks, here are my thoughts.

1. Fear of not being able to please everyone

Leaders know they’re not going to be able to please everyone. If they ask for input and their decision ends up the opposite of that input, they fear that people will be more disappointed than if they hadn’t been asked at all.

To show how much you value all input, you should acknowledge when your decision does not align with some of the input you received. You could also offer the reasoning behind your choosing to go in an alternative direction.

2. Information synthesis takes time and effort

If leaders gather information, then they might feel like they must do the time-consuming work of synthesizing that information into some cohesive, clear outcome.

Yes, yes, they are going to have to do that, or at least they should.

But I assure you it’s worth it, because the more stakeholder engagement you have, the more likely the project is to be a success down the road.

3. They don’t want input

It’s simply a fact that leaders sometimes don’t want input. They know what they want to do, and collecting input would be messy. They might not trust the experience or credibility of those they’re asking. Leaders need to remember that everyone’s perspective has some value in it, even if it’s just a reminder of how naïve that perspective is. That reminder can motivate further context sharing or education.

Asking for input can feel like opening a "can of worms" and it requires emotional maturity, diplomacy, transparency, and clear processes. Leaders can maintain equanimity by taking a breath, evaluating the input, and explaining their reasoning for the path forward. And that path forward just might be better because of the input.