There’s a term — complete with catchy acronym — to describe how such hierarchical decision-making scenarios usually play out: HIPPO (the HIghest-Paid Person’s Opinion).

Reflexive deference to rank also reminds me of one of my favourite lines ever from a TV show (perhaps not coincidentally, the scene is a military tribunal; a civilian barrister addressing a British Army officer on the stand): “Respect and deference are two different things, sir, too often mistaken for each other.” —the Martha Costello character in season 2, episode 2 of Silk