Anchoring In Leadership: Why Good Leaders Sometimes Cling to Bad Decisions

Even the best leaders sometimes find themselves holding on tightly to a choice that isn’t working. It might be a strategy, a hire, a process, or a belief about what the team “should” be doing. Despite evidence to the contrary, they double down — justifying the decision, defending it, or waiting for it to somehow turn around.

Psychologists call this anchoring — the tendency to rely too heavily on an initial piece of information when making decisions. Once anchored, we judge everything else through that original lens, even when new information suggests a change is needed.

Anchoring in Action

A classic example comes from medicine. A doctor makes an early diagnosis — say, a flu — and continues to treat it as such even when symptoms point elsewhere. That initial diagnosis becomes the anchor, and it skews every subsequent judgment.

Leaders do the same thing. We anchor to the first person we believe will be “a great fit,” the product we’ve already invested in, or the direction we passionately pitched to our team. It’s uncomfortable to admit when something we chose isn’t working — so we justify instead of adjusting.

Why Anchoring In Leadership Happens

Anchoring in leadership often hides beneath our pride, fear, and hope:

• Pride: “If I change my mind, it’ll look like I was wrong.”

• Fear: “If I reverse course, I’ll lose credibility.”

• Hope: “If I just give it a little more time, it’ll work out.”

  
  

But effective leadership isn’t about being right; it’s about being responsive. The best leaders are willing to re-evaluate — to say, “I see this differently now,” or “We need a new approach.”

How to Recognize When You’re Anchored

You might be anchored if you catch yourself saying:

• “We’ve already invested too much to stop now.”

• “Let’s give it one more month — maybe it’ll improve.”

• “I just know this will work eventually.”

  
  

If those phrases sound familiar, it’s time to pause and assess whether you’re making decisions based on evidence or attachment.

Steps to Break Free from Anchoring

1. Invite new perspectives.Ask your team or a trusted peer for input. Sometimes another person’s view can help you see what’s really happening.

2. Revisit your original goal.What outcome were you trying to achieve? Has this decision actually moved you closer — or just kept you busy?

3. Separate emotion from evaluation.Identify what’s making it hard to let go — is it ego, effort, time, or money? Recognizing the emotion helps you make a clearer choice.

4. Reframe “changing direction.”Shifting course isn’t failure; it’s leadership in action. It signals adaptability and courage — traits every great leader needs.

5. Build reflection time into your process.Schedule periodic check-ins for major decisions. Ask: What’s working? What’s not? What evidence do I have either way?

   
   

The Growth Mindset Difference

The healthiest leaders understand that every decision — right or wrong — is part of growth. They aren’t afraid to admit when something needs to change, because they know learning beats perfection every time.

So the next time you feel anchored, pause. Take a breath. Look again at the data, the team, and the results. You might discover that releasing one decision creates space for something better to take root.

Keep Growing

Leadership is an ongoing process of learning, reflection, and recalibration. If you found this topic helpful, you might also enjoy our microlearning workbook, Leading Through Change & Adaptability, which offers practical exercises and reflection tools to strengthen your flexibility as a leader.

If you found this article valuable, please share it with someone you know who’s leading through change or making tough decisions—it might be exactly what they need today.