Upper management's job is to manage. Being "convinced" of something, means they did their job, made a judgement and management call, but got it wrong. That's

Upper management's job is to manage. Being "convinced" of something, means they did their job, made a judgement and management call, but got it wrong. That's their fault too. It's also the fault of other employees, who did not speak up. You're painting a picture of everyone being incapable of judging things on their own, because someone talked them out of what they knew to be correct. Who's fault is that?