Planning Input From All Levels

I think there are several factors that affect the decision to leave people out of the planning process.

In an organization the responsibility for a task being completed falls on the management and/or executives. If someone on the assembly line does not do their job sufficiently it is not always seen as their fault but instead the fault of the manager for not getting the best out of their team. Because of this reason the lower level employees and ultimately those closest to the work are left out of the planning process by management due to the fact that management is ultimately responsible.

Another factor in people closest to the work being left out of the decision process is that they may be too close to the work to make a objective decision. Working in such close proximity to the situation that the planning is for can make it difficult to make an objective decision especially if that decision directly affects you. For this reason some are left out of the planning process so as not to skew the planning in a direction that is not overall positive for the organization.

The other factor that sometimes, unfortunately, plays a role in executives not including others in the planning process is that they do not see those outside of the executive level as having the knowledge and understanding to make an appropriate decision. This can be a delicate balance in an organization because if not handled properly it can come across as an "us vs. them" mentality. Those not in the executive team will feel like they are not valued and appreciated within the organization and those at the executive level will feel no one can make a decision without their input.

Overcoming these challenges can help to build a stronger and more unified organization. Giving opportunity for input to people at all levels helps to increase ownership and value for the success of the organization and ultimately those within the organization.