The HiPPO Effect (Highest Paid Person's Opinion) describes how organizations unconsciously prioritize powerful executives' decisions over data-driven analysis. The article explains this authority bias, citing Rotterdam School of Management research showing senior-led projects fail more often than middle-manager projects because employees fear contradicting leaders. Practical solutions include anchoring decisions in data rather than opinions, creating psychological safety for dissent, and leaders actively inviting critique before finalizing decisions—essential for SMEs building data-centric decision cultures.