About this episode

The episode explores why smart organizations make poor decisions and how to foster better judgment and reflection in leadership.

Why do smart organizations keep making bad decisions? Professor Mats Alvesson joins Maureen Metcalf and Christopher Washington to explore the concept of functional stupidity, revealing how bureaucracy, conformity, and organizational habits can suppress critical thinking, slow learning, and undermine decision quality. Discover practical ways leaders can create cultures that encourage reflection, better judgment, and smarter action.

People in this episode

Hosts: Maureen Metcalf, Christopher Washington

Guest: Mats Alvesson

Topics covered

• decision making
• organizational behavior
• leadership
• critical thinking
• bureaucracy
• functional stupidity

Keywords

• bad decisions
• functional stupidity
• bureaucracy
• organizational habits
• critical thinking
• leadership culture

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Innovative Leadership Institute

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