You’re surrounded by smart people.

A CFO who wants the decision justified by a spreadsheet.

Lawyers who want it steered away from exposure.

Department heads who want validation for the path they already chose.

And somewhere deeper in the organization are people who know the truth—

but their voices never reach you.

Not because they’re wrong, but because hierarchy, timing, or permission keeps them silent.

So the final advice comes from those closest to you.

Trusted. Loyal. Well-intentioned.

Here’s the question that matters:

When was the last time one of them told you no?

Or gave you an answer you didn’t want to hear?

Because the higher you rise, the more agreement becomes ambient—and the rarer unfiltered truth becomes.

That’s not a character flaw.

It’s a structural inevitability.

And it’s exactly where high-consequence decisions begin to fail.