Leadership in Action: Fatal Attraction: The Dangers of Leaders Flocking Together

POLAR BLAST

Homophily can also polarize opinions among a company's leaders. Ironically, deliberating and discussing issues with like-minded people often leads to a more polarized and extreme position. One reason for this is that leaders selectively disseminate and share information that primarily supports their views and positions. In today's workplace, new technologies also make it easier to share information with select groups, thus perpetuating their preconceived notions of the issues. Over time this can lead to an extreme view. As polarization persists, strategic changes that redefine the firm's core values and capabilities become difficult to initiate or sustain.

In defining the results of homophily, it is important to recognize the effect ...