About Power¶

Forbidden Questions

The Fundamental Questions¶

1. Who actually makes decisions here?¶

The forbidden version: "Not who has the title—who has the power?"

What you'll hear instead: - "Decisions go through the steering committee" - "The project board has authority" - "Governance is clearly defined"

What to probe: - When was the last time a governance body said "no" to something significant? - Who do people actually go to when they need a real decision? - Who can accelerate things by asking? - Who can stop things by objecting? - Whose opinion, once expressed, is rarely contradicted?

Why it matters: Formal governance often ratifies decisions made elsewhere. Understanding real power helps you know who to convince, who to watch, and where decisions actually happen.

2. Who decided this was a good idea?¶

The forbidden version: "Not who sponsored it—who originated it, and what was their motivation?"

What you'll hear instead: - "This emerged from strategic planning" - "Leadership identified the opportunity" - "It aligns with government priorities"

What to probe: - Where did the original idea come from? - What was the originator's personal interest? - Did they consult broadly or push their vision? - What alternatives were genuinely considered? - Was there opposition, and what happened to it?

Why it matters: Projects have origin stories. Understanding them reveals whose vision is being implemented, who was excluded, and what assumptions went unexamined.

3. Who benefits from this project existing?¶

The forbidden version: "Who gets something—budget, profile, career advancement—from this proceeding?"

What you'll hear instead: - "Citizens benefit from improved services" - "The organization benefits from efficiency" - "Everyone wins"

What to probe: - Who controls budget that depends on this project? - Whose career is advanced by this succeeding? - Who gets to hire/expand their team? - Who gets visibility/profile from this work? - Whose performance rating is tied to delivery?

Why it matters: Everyone involved has interests. Understanding them helps predict behavior—who will push forward regardless, who will resist scrutiny, who will claim credit or avoid blame.

4. Who can stop this?¶

The forbidden version: "If I had concerns, who could actually halt or kill this project?"

What you'll hear instead: - "Governance processes are in place" - "Concerns can be escalated" - "There are appropriate checkpoints"

What to probe: - Has anyone tried to stop a similar project? What happened? - Who has authority to say "no" that would be respected? - What would it take for someone to successfully stop this? - Are there kill criteria that would actually be enforced? - Is there anyone outside the project who could intervene?

Why it matters: Projects without effective stop mechanisms are not governed. If no one can stop it, proceed/don't-proceed isn't a real decision—it's just momentum.

5. Who is allowed to criticize?¶

The forbidden version: "Who can express skepticism without career consequences?"

What you'll hear instead: - "We have an open culture" - "Feedback is welcomed" - "All perspectives are valued"

What to probe: - Who has expressed skepticism publicly? What happened to them? - Who expresses skepticism privately but not in meetings? - Is there a pattern of who speaks up and who doesn't? - Are critics promoted, marginalized, or something in between? - Would you feel safe expressing concerns?

Why it matters: Every organization claims to welcome feedback. Look at what actually happens to critics. That's your real culture—and your real risk of groupthink.

The Hidden Power Questions¶

6. Who controls the narrative?¶

The forbidden version: "Who decides what story is told about this project, internally and externally?"

What you'll hear instead: - "Communications handles messaging" - "Status is reported through normal channels" - "There's consistent reporting"

What to probe: - Who writes the status reports that leadership sees? - Who crafts the story for the Minister? - Who decides what's "on track" vs. "at risk"? - How much filtering happens between reality and what's reported? - Who controls what external stakeholders hear?

Why it matters: Whoever controls the narrative controls perception. Projects that are failing can look fine if the story is well-crafted. Understanding narrative control helps you assess how honest reporting is.

7. Who has access to truth?¶

The forbidden version: "Who knows what's actually happening, as opposed to what's being said?"

What you'll hear instead: - "Project status is transparent" - "All stakeholders have access to information" - "We share openly"

What to probe: - Who sees unfiltered project reality? - Who sees only reports/dashboards/summaries? - What information is shared with governance vs. kept within the team? - Is there a gap between what's known and what's reported? - Who has access to the uncomfortable truths?

Why it matters: Information is power. Those closest to reality know most. Each layer of reporting adds filtering. By the time information reaches the top, it may be optimized for comfort rather than truth.

8. Who are the real stakeholders?¶

The forbidden version: "Not who's on the stakeholder list—who actually matters to success or failure?"

What you'll hear instead: - "We've mapped all stakeholders" - "Engagement plan covers everyone" - "No one is left out"

What to probe: - Who could kill this project by withdrawing support? - Who could embarrass the project publicly? - Who is being managed vs. genuinely engaged? - Who was left off the list, and why? - Who has power that's not reflected in their formal role?

Why it matters: Stakeholder lists are often political documents—who should be included vs. who actually has power. Missing someone with real power is a risk. Over-engaging someone without power is waste.

9. Where does budget power really sit?¶

The forbidden version: "Who can actually move money, and who has to ask?"

What you'll hear instead: - "Budget is allocated through proper processes" - "There's a clear governance structure" - "Finance approves expenditure"

What to probe: - Who has spending authority without further approval? - Who has informal authority to direct spending? - Who can reallocate money between line items? - Who controls the contingency? - Who decides when more money is needed, and who asks for it?

Why it matters: Budget authority is real power. Those with delegation can act; those without can only request. Understanding budget power reveals who can actually shape the project.

10. Who gets blamed when things go wrong?¶

The forbidden version: "When this fails, who's holding the bag?"

What you'll hear instead: - "We have collective accountability" - "Risk is managed through governance" - "Everyone is responsible"

What to probe: - Who will be in the meeting explaining failure? - Whose name will be in the review report? - Who will have performance impacted? - Is there someone being set up to take the fall? - Who is careful to leave no fingerprints on risky decisions?

Why it matters: Blame flows downhill; credit flows up. Understanding who bears accountability reveals who is taking real risk—and who has positioned themselves safely away from consequences.

The Politics Questions¶

11. What's the political dimension?¶

The forbidden version: "What political interests are driving this, and how do they distort decisions?"

What you'll hear instead: - "This is an operational matter" - "Decisions are evidence-based" - "Politics doesn't affect project decisions"

What to probe: - Is there political pressure for specific outcomes or timelines? - What Ministerial interests are served? - Are there electoral timing considerations? - Is this connected to announcements, budgets, or political commitments? - Would decisions be different without political considerations?

Why it matters: Politics affects everything in government. Pretending otherwise doesn't make it go away—it just makes the influence invisible. Understanding political drivers helps you understand what's possible.

12. Who's competing?¶

The forbidden version: "Who sees this as their territory, and who are they fighting?"

What you'll hear instead: - "We have strong cross-functional collaboration" - "All teams are aligned" - "There's a clear RACI"

What to probe: - Which teams/divisions have overlapping interests? - Who feels their turf is threatened? - Who's trying to expand at someone else's expense? - Where are the historical rivalries? - Who needs this to succeed to justify their position?

Why it matters: Organizational politics is real. Projects become arenas for territorial battles. Understanding who's competing helps you understand resistance, alliance opportunities, and why things are harder than they should be.

13. What aren't we allowed to change?¶

The forbidden version: "What's actually fixed vs. what people claim is fixed?"

What you'll hear instead: - "Requirements are clear" - "Scope is defined" - "Decisions have been made"

What to probe: - What's truly unchangeable (law, physics) vs. organizationally fixed? - Who benefits from something being "fixed"? - Has anyone tested whether constraints are real? - What would happen if we challenged a "fixed" decision? - Are we solving around constraints that could be removed?

Why it matters: Many "fixed" constraints are actually decisions made by people who could decide differently. Treating negotiable items as immutable limits options unnecessarily.

14. Who has exit options?¶

The forbidden version: "Who can leave, and who is trapped?"

What you'll hear instead: - "We have a committed team" - "Everyone is invested" - "There's strong ownership"

What to probe: - Who has skills that give them job mobility? - Who has tenure, permanence, or other protection? - Who is dependent on this project for their position? - Who is putting up with problems because they can't leave? - Who will speak freely because they don't need this?

Why it matters: People with exit options behave differently from those without. Those who can leave may be more honest—or may leave before consequences arrive. Those who can't leave may conform—or may be the ones left holding the bag.

15. What game is actually being played?¶

The forbidden version: "Beyond the stated objectives, what are people really optimizing for?"

What you'll hear instead: - "We're focused on project outcomes" - "Everyone wants success" - "Objectives are aligned"

What to probe: - What do people's actions reveal about their real priorities? - Where do stated objectives and behavior diverge? - What would a cynical observer say people are actually doing? - What rewards are people actually responding to? - What would explain the pattern of decisions if objectives aren't what we say?

Why it matters: People optimize for what they're actually rewarded for, which may differ from stated objectives. Understanding the real game helps you understand real behavior.

The Power Map Template¶

For each key stakeholder:

Power Map Card¶

They can: (check all that apply)

Navigating Power¶

Knowing where power lies helps you:

1. Know who to convince: Focus persuasion on people with actual power
2. Know who to watch: Those who feel threatened may undermine
3. Know what's actually possible: Some changes require certain people to agree
4. Know when to escalate: And to whom
5. Protect yourself: Understanding power helps you avoid being scapegoated
6. Be realistic: About what can be accomplished and by whom

Power awareness isn't cynicism. It's realism about how organizations actually work.

"The org chart tells you who reports to whom. It doesn't tell you who has power. Knowing the difference is the beginning of wisdom."