ABSTRACT
Theoretically, a senior executive (“Self”) anticipates how “Other” will respond to a decision based on what is known. When unexpected reactions surface, Self will revise his/her anticipations. Multiple people are often involved, so one can think in terms of “We” and “Them.” The stakeholders involved in senior executive decision making are briefly reviewed. Social distance is important. Self generally can better anticipate the reactions of people who are socially closer. Inequitable situations can be perpetuated when groups have limited contact. Our fieldwork uncovered two major problems. First, leaders could not accurately anticipate “chain reactions” that involved hundreds of people and multiple organization levels. Second, leaders tended to develop “tunnel vision” once their desired results emerged. They did not alter course when unexpected negative outcomes arose for other groups. Examples from Wells Fargo (2016–2019) are provided to show tunnel vision has surfaced elsewhere. Better ongoing measurement and revision are needed.
