Advocacy vs. Inquiry Garvin and Roberto (2001) contrast two approaches to decision-making: advocacy and inquiry. They ultimately encourage the approach of inquiry due to the lack of cooperative and collaborative impacts of advocate purposed decision-making that is ultimately short-sighted and can have significant impact on the organization as a whole and the leader and their followers.

Advocacy Advocacy is an approach to decision-making where the leader allows their personal views to control them over what is ultimately best for the organization. This type of leader will try to surround themselves with those who are happy to pay them ‘lip service’ and create an echo chamber that quickly stifles new thoughts or ideas and dissenting views altogether.

Inquiry Inquiry is an approach to decision-making that has the goal of incorporating the ideas of the group and outside sources to create a process that allows the best solutions and approaches to solving complex problems and having flexible alternatives available in the event one approach doesn’t work.