My leadership team members keep coming directly to me as the Visionary to get sign-off on ideas that our Integrator already rejected or delayed. How do we break this triangulation habit?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This dynamic destroys Integrators and paralyzes companies. When your executive team knows they can bypass the Integrator and run to the Visionary for a yes, they will exploit that gap every single time. It creates confusion, breeds resentment between the two top leaders, and halts operational execution.

The fix starts entirely with you, the Visionary. You must stop granting an audience for operational end-runs.

When a department head approaches you seeking approval, funding, or strategic changes for a project, do not evaluate the idea, no matter how exciting it sounds. Ask one question immediately: Have you discussed this with our Integrator?

If they say no, send them to the Integrator before saying another word. If they admit the Integrator already said no or tabled it, support your Integrator on the spot. Tell them: If the Integrator said no or not yet, that is the decision of the company. If you believe this is a strategic mistake, bring it to the Level 10 Meeting™ and put it on the Issues List.

Behind closed doors, you and your Integrator must maintain absolute alignment. Schedule a recurring Same Page Meeting™ every week for sixty minutes. Use this time to debate, argue, and align on operational priorities privately. You must never disagree on strategic direction or operational authority in front of the rest of the leadership team.

Once your department heads realize the back door is permanently locked and that you and your Integrator are an impenetrable unit, the triangulation behavior will stop within two weeks.