Hippo effect and dichotomy of leadership

What is the HIPPO effect? Here is the definition from Smartpedia:?

HIPPO is an apronym and stands for?Highest?Paid?Person's?Opinion. The effect states that the opinion of the highest paid person is given more consideration in a decision because it has a higher value per se. The value of the opinion is thus linked to the salary of the person expressing said opinion. The higher the salary, the more important the opinion. Or in other words: "What is done is what the person with the highest salary says".

As a term, the HIPPO effect was probably first used by Avinash Kaushik in 2007 in his book "Web Analytics: An Hour a Day" 1. Kaushik argues that the effect occurs especially when there is no valid data that significantly determines a decision. Evidence-based and/or collaborative decision-making formats are therefore readily cited as an antidote in various publications.

I have recently noticed that the "hippo effect" is not limited to people higher in the hierarchy.

It can also happen when an engineer with seniority and experience shares his thoughts or presents an available option to solve the problem.

And here is the leadership dichotomy:

• you still want to share our thoughts and help teams broaden the horizons of options etc.
• but we want to make sure people take it as one of many opinions or thoughts and not as a guide.

Our goal is to serve with our experience, but on the other hand, we want to develop the team and people individually, encouraging them to take responsibility. I try to ask additional questions when I see the need to add something from myself:

• Do you need help?
• Who is responsible for this project?
• What other proposals have already been made?

If I think there is a need for the team to get to know my opinion, then by offering your option, it is worth "softening" it and indicating the intentions:

• end with a statement that this is your opinion, which should be treated on an equal footing with others
• ask for a counter-offer
• end with the statement, "but I'm not as close to the problem as you are, so treat my opinion/advice as one of many to be verified."

What is your way of offering help and ensuring there is no HIPPO in a room?