MISTAKE #4: You have too many 12th Men, but no 10th Man

Most sports fans are familiar with the 12th man principle.  Related specifically to professional football, this is a reference to a team’s loyal fan base essentially functioning as an extra player that can somehow benefit the overall performance of the team and alter the outcome of the game in their favor:

If the fan base can demonstrate strong enough belief and enthusiasm and unwavering support, the theory goes, the team should be able to overcome all odds and pull out a win.

I see a lot of 12th man syndrome in the business world and I have yet to see tangible evidence that it accomplishes anything other than making employees feel good about themselves until they realize they have failed.

People love the 12th man and people like to be the 12th man.   

But I don’t see enough of the 10th man in companies.

THE 10TH MAN

This concept was brought into broader awareness by the 2013 movie World War Z (an apocalyptic zombie movie starring Brad Pitt and worth the 123 minutes in my opinion).

In the movie, the principle of devil’s advocacy protects Israel from a worldwide zombie invasion.  The concept is straightforward enough:

When a team or committee or group are all quick to agree on a very consequential decision, it is one person’s responsibility to take the alternate viewpoint.  It is this person’s job to investigate and challenge the assumptions and evidence that have driven the rest of the group into consensus.  The 10th man needs to disagree with the group and ask “what if…”  This role needs to ask more questions, consider other options, and present an alternative or better plan. 

When Israel comes across ‘intelligence’ about zombies overrunning other parts of the world, they are quick to dismiss it.  However, the 10th man is forced to further consider the evidence and plausibility of the information.  And that makes all the difference.

BUT I WANT TO BELIEVE.  I NEED TO BELIEVE.

Few company cultures leave room for a 10th man.  Even fewer create any incentive or reward for that role.

Efficiency puts emphasis on making decisions and checking things off to-do lists.

Politics make most forms of public disagreement too risky for the individual.

Capacity constraints mean no one has the time or energy to do the research or investigation necessary to build a case for a better alternative. 

In general, agreeing with and reinforcing the views of others (particularly higher-ranking co-workers) provides the greatest short-term benefit to the individual.  This is further supported by other learned habits:

It is human nature to assume we have arrived at the correct or best point of view on any topic we have a reasonable level of understanding about.

Praise is almost always received and believed more readily than constructive criticism. 

Few people are comfortable judging the quality of ideas or work without feeling like the person behind the idea or work is being judged.

As I write these words, I know I’m talking to myself.  

I realize I would not be very open-minded to someone challenging my approach to diet and exercise. 

I’m not looking for someone to tell me how to manage my finances or retirement planning.

And I certainly wouldn’t be quick to entertain new views of theology. 

These are all areas I’ve spent time investigating and educating myself on.  Each is an area where I have confidence in my conclusion and don’t think others can offer a significantly better understanding of the subject matter and how it applies to my personal situation.

WHEN A CHALLENGER IS WELCOME

But I do love engaging in conversations and learning more about topics where I acknowledge my own ignorance.

I love talking politics because I don’t vote and don’t believe any political rhetoric I hear.  I love to hear how others interpret the intentions and actions of presumably well-intended public servants.

I love to hear other theories of parenting as I know I am unqualified and concerned about the many ways I may be unknowingly emotionally scaring my children or not being the parent they deserve.

I love to discover new tips or tricks related to woodworking because sawdust is the only thing I’m really good at consistently making with a saw.

Do you notice the common theme?  These are all areas I'm willing to admit my limited knowledge or outright ignorance.  They are areas where the benefits I believe I can gain from others’ perspective easily outweighs the cost. 

CONFIDENCE AND PERCEIVED EXPERTISE SILENCE THE 10TH MAN 

Functional divisions and hierarchical structure make few people feel qualified to speak up in opposition to consensus decisions.  Project ownership and specialization compromise the credibility of the 10th man.  

How can the insights manager question the marketing strategy?

What can an analyst know about crafting a better selling story?

The longer someone has done their job and the more established they become, listening to less qualified people becomes even more difficult. 

But the 10th man doesn’t need to have all the answers or expertise.  In my opinion, the 10th man can be just as valuable by asking questions that others haven’t or injecting new information into the conversation.

It is great when the 10th man can produce a better solution, but it can be just as valuable when the 10th man shows that the current solution may not be as perfect as others want to believe. 

The better an organization is, the more often the 10th man won’t be able to produce a better solution or prove a counterpoint.  Yet I’d argue the importance of the 10th man is not diminished.  The very existence of the 10th man forces the other nine to think and work harder, not wanting to have their ideas or solutions be proven inferior.

WELCOME YOUR OWN 10TH MAN

Changing corporate culture, embracing more constructive criticism, and challenging consensus decisions aren’t easy.  I don’t anticipate this article prompting wholesale change at any company.  But I hope it can convince a few to question how flawless their decision-making might be. 

I hope it invites the 10th man to more tables. 

And I hope the presence of that 10th man leads to better decisions that create even more interest in listening to what he has to say in the future.  

Here are a few ways the 10th man can start to be heard in your organization and start proving his value.

Mock Line Reviews:  So you think your line review presentation is polished?  Have one or more people play the role of the buyer and give your pitch.  Are they really sold?  What questions do they have?

Package Design:  So you think you’ve created magnetic packaging that sells itself?  Go to a store.  Find a store manager that will let you put your package on the shelf if it isn't already there.  Now stand back 6 feet.  Does it still pop?  Does it still say “buy me”?  Is it more of a whisper or a scream?  Or do your eyes quickly gravitate to other products?

Product Experience:  So you think you’ve found the ideal solution to an unmet need?  Have you gotten prototypes in the hands of people not emotionally connected to the product?  Have you gotten a reality check?  Remember that far more products under-deliver on their promise than over-deliver.  Don’t assume you are the exception.

These are just some of the areas we help clients.  Remember that sometimes hiring a temporary 10th man is the most effective way to bring an unbiased and new perspective that challenges possible groupthink.

 *By the way, I am not sexist and realize I should have written this article more gender-neutral.  However, the flow and tone just didn’t work.  Know that my use of the word “man” is intended to be synonymous with “person” or “hu-man.”