How Unseen Approval Dynamics Undermine Decisiveness in Leadership
- Susette Bryant
- Feb 20
- 2 min read
Some leaders lack decisiveness in leadership—and do not realize it.
They are not controlled by policy, title, or authority.
They are constrained by a small, invisible audience.
According to thought leader Joshua Sprague, most people unconsciously give disproportionate power to three to five individuals in their immediate orbit.
These are the people whose opinions are silently consulted before decisions are made.
Not formally.
Not openly.
But constantly.
When this happens, leadership presence is quietly compromised.
The Leadership Cost of the “3–5” on Decisiveness in Leadership
This dynamic is not about blame.
The three to five people are rarely aware of the influence they hold.
The issue is the transfer of power.
When leaders over-weight the anticipated reactions of a few familiar voices, they begin to:
Delay decisions
Soften their message
Avoid visibility
Choose safety over alignment
Over time, decisiveness in leadership erodes and communication skills weaken.
This is how capable leaders surrender authority without ever being challenged.
Are the 3–5?
They are rarely strangers.
They are often:
Family members
Close friends
Colleagues or peers
Former supervisors
Professional acquaintances
Even social media observers
Their influence is powerful precisely because it feels relational.
But leadership cannot be driven by proximity alone.
Where the 3–5 Most Commonly Limit Leaders
In executive and senior leadership roles, the “3–5 dynamic” often shows up as hesitation around:
Speaking publicly or asserting a point of view
Launching a new initiative or venture
Changing roles, industries, or direction
Asking for support or naming failure
Taking creative or unconventional approaches
Making visible shifts in identity or presence
These are not small decisions.
They are leadership-defining moments.
When avoided, leaders stay competent—but constrained.
Executive Presence and Decisiveness in Leadership
Strong executive presence does not come from confidence alone.
It comes from internal authority—the ability to act without running decisions through an informal approval committee.
Decisiveness in leadership is strengthened when leaders stop outsourcing judgment to imagined reactions.
Leaders who develop this capacity:
Think independently
Communicate clearly
Move decisively
Model courage for others
They do not ignore feedback.
They simply refuse to let imagined reactions outrank judgment.
Three Leadership Moves to Reclaim Power
Identify the Pattern
Ask: Whose opinions do I consult before I even speak or act?
Awareness interrupts unconscious influence.
Name What’s on Hold
Which decisions, conversations, or ambitions have been paused—not for strategic reasons, but for relational comfort?
Take One Visible Step
Reclaiming authority does not require dramatic upheaval.
It begins with a single action taken without permission-seeking.
That is how leadership presence is rebuilt.
A Leadership Reframe Worth Considering
Executive leadership is not about pleasing everyone.
It is about standing clearly—even when clarity is uncomfortable.
When leaders reclaim power from the 3–5, they do not become reckless.
They become aligned.
And alignment is what others are actually waiting for.
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