Master Influence, Escape Bad Situations
Exit, Voice, and Loyalty: Responses to Decline in Firms, Organizations, and States
by Albert O. Hirschman
Economics
TL;DR
This book breaks down the three main ways people react when things go south: bailing (Exit), complaining loudly (Voice), or sticking it out (Loyalty). It's not just about what you do, but why you choose one over the other, and how those choices impact the organization's chances of recovery. Understanding these dynamics helps you figure out when to dip, when to fight, and when to just cope with a declining situation, whether it's your job, your favorite streaming service, or even your local government. It's a playbook for navigating organizational decay and influencing change (or deciding it's not worth the effort).
Action Items
Think of one subscription or group you're mildly annoyed with. If it doesn't spark joy, consider hitting that "unsubscribe" or "leave group" button.
Next time something genuinely annoys you (and it's fixable), instead of just grumbling, actually send an email or make a call to the relevant party. Be specific, not just whiny.
Reflect on one thing you're loyal to despite its flaws. Ask yourself: Is my loyalty giving them a chance to improve, or am I just enabling mediocrity? No action needed, just a thought experiment.
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Key Chapter
Chapter - The OG Choices: Exit, Voice, or Just Deal With It
So, imagine your favorite coffee shop starts serving lukewarm, watery crap. What's your move? This book lays out the fundamental choices: you can "Exit" by just never going back, taking your cash elsewhere. Or, you can use your "Voice" by telling the barista, leaving a scathing review, or even organizing a protest outside. The third option is "Loyalty": you just keep going, hoping it gets better, maybe because you love the vibe or the barista's hot. The wild part is, your choice isn't just about you; it actually shapes whether that coffee shop ever gets its act together. If everyone just bails, they might never know what went wrong. If everyone complains, they might fix it. It's a whole ecosystem of reactions.
Key Methods and Approaches
The "I'm Out" Move
(AKA: Exit)
Description:
Dipping out when something sucks.
Explanation:
This is like when your phone battery hits 5% and you're nowhere near a charger – you just gotta peace out. It's the ultimate "I'm not dealing with this" move. You silently leave, unfollow, unsubscribe, or quit. No drama, just gone. It's effective for you, but the organization might not even notice why you left, so they don't learn.
Examples:
Unsubscribing from a streaming service because their new shows are trash.
Quitting a job because the boss is a micromanaging goblin.
Switching to a different brand of sneakers because the quality dropped.
Ghosting a group chat that's become toxic.
Today's Action:
Think of one subscription or group you're mildly annoyed with. If it doesn't spark joy, consider hitting that "unsubscribe" or "leave group" button.
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