Navigating hidden agendas: seeing the unspoken forces at play
The unwritten rules of the game
In every organisation, there are the official goals - the ones written in strategy decks, shared at town halls, and included in your OKRs. Then there are the hidden agendas - the unspoken priorities, personal ambitions, and political manoeuvres that shape what really happens
Hidden agendas aren’t inherently bad. They’re simply human. People want recognition, security, influence, or to create a legacy. But when you ignore them, you risk being blindsided. When you learn how to navigate them, you gain clarity, foresight, and leverage
The product and transformation leaders who thrive aren’t the ones who pretend hidden agendas don’t exist. They’re the ones who can see them, acknowledge them, and work with them to achieve the organisational outcomes they chase
Why hidden agendas exist
Hidden agendas often run parallel to the official goals. Sometimes they align and are simply an addendum - something extra someone wants to achieve. Sometimes they are in conflict because someone don’t believe in the direction the company is going. Examples of hidden agendas include:
personal ambition. Someone may want a promotion, visibility, or to create a legacy
protection of resources. Functions fight to keep budgets, headcount, or scope
risk avoidance. Stakeholders quietly resist anything that threatens the stability they’ve fought for with blood, sweat, and tears
relationship dynamics. Alliances and rivalries shape decisions behind the scenes
cultural undercurrents. Values, traditions, or unspoken “rules” influence behaviour
Regardless of the reason why hidden agendas exist, they matter
The risk of ignoring hidden agendas
You can be forgiven for wanting to take the high road and not play these silly political games. But ignoring what is happening right in front of you will be detrimental to your ability to make progress. You may:
hit surprise resistance. Your project may stall without a clear explanation
misread signals. You may think someone is supportive, but they’re quietly undermining you
waste your effort. You may push initiatives that were never politically viable, no matter how commercially valuable they are
damage your reputation. You may appear naive or out of touch with the real dynamics and be left out of the inner circle
The opportunity of seeing hidden agendas
When you can spot hidden agendas, you can:
anticipate resistance before it surfaces
frame your initiatives in ways that align with others’ unspoken goals
build alliances by supporting what matters most to your stakeholders
reduce friction by proactively addressing the concerns that aren’t voiced publicly
Signals of hidden agendas
As the name suggests, hidden agendas aren’t openly publicised but there are clues you can spot that provide good starting points for further exploration:
inconsistent behaviour. Public support, but private hesitation
unusual intensity. Overinvestment into a seemingly minor issue
side conversations. decisions that are being shaped outside of formal meetings
deflection. Stakeholders avoiding direct answers about priorities
patterns of vetoes. A leader consistently blocks initiatives in one area
The existence of these clues doesn’t automatically mean that there is a hidden agenda. But you would be wise to use your judgment and investigate if you think it could impact you and what you are trying to achieve
Example 1: The legacy project
An executive leadership team member resisted a transformation initiative. On paper, his objections were about cost. In reality, he feared the change would overshadow his long standing program of work - his “legacy”. Once the General Manager in Transformation recognised this, he offered to integrate the executive leadership team member’s program into the new narrative, give him credit for the strong foundations that had been formed, and tell a story about how they were expanding upon the work that the executive leadership team member had the foresight to initiate in the first place. Resistance softened
Lesson: hidden agendas are often tied to identity and recognition
Example 2: The budget battle
A General Manager in Product noticed the Chief Financial Officer was unusually resistant to a new investment. The hidden agenda? They were under pressure to demonstrate cost discipline to the board. By reframing the proposal as a cost-avoidance measure rather than a spend, the General Manager secured approval
Lesson: hidden agendas are often tied to external pressures
Example 3: The quiet rivalry
Two peers appeared aligned in meetings, but in reality they were undermining each other behind the scenes. Their hidden agenda was a rivalry for succession. A politically savvy leader navigated this by engaging them separately and framing collaboration as a way to strengthen both their reputations. They weren’t being as clever and subtle in their efforts to undermine each other as they thought and there was a risk their executive would appoint someone else entirely as their successor. Both of them would lose if they continued down this path
Lesson: hidden agendas are often tied to competition
Navigating hidden agendas
Not all hidden agendas are born out of malice but they exist nonetheless. Smart product and transformation leaders are always ready for them to pop up without notice. They:
observe patterns. They look for inconsistencies between words and actions
ask curious questions. They ask: “What’s most important to you about this?”
listen for subtext. What’s not being said? What’s being emphasised too much?
test hypotheses carefully. They share interpretations privately, not publicly
align where possible. They frame their initiatives in ways that support the unspoken goals if it is within their integrity to do so
decide when to challenge. They know that whilst some agendas can be accommodated, others must be confronted
Other things smart product and transformation leaders might do include:
mapping the hidden agendas. Alongside their stakeholder maps, they note suspected hidden agendas
building trust through applying discretion. People reveal hidden agendas when they trust you won’t expose them
using empathy. Acknowledge the personal stakes behind resistance
shaping narratives. They position their initiatives as helping others to achieve their hidden goals
Common mistakes leaders make
The traps for product and transformation leaders here involve transparency:
calling hidden agendas out in public. Exposing hidden agendas in a group setting creates defensiveness that is hard to recover from
assuming malice. Hidden agendas are often about self protection, not sabotage. Making assumptions and not checking them is dangerous
over indexing on one agenda. Don’t let one person’s hidden goal derail the bigger picture or blind you to the existence of other hidden agendas
ignoring your own hidden agenda. Self awareness is critical. You can see other people’s hidden agendas, but they can see your hidden agendas too
Transparency and tact
Navigating hidden agendas isn’t about manipulation. It’s about awareness. It’s about recognising that people bring personal stakes to professional decisions and you need to work with that reality instead of against it
The best product and transformation leaders:
stay curious. They assume there’s more beneath the surface
stay discreet. They protect what’s shared in confidence
stay strategic. They align agendas without losing sight of the bigger picture
Your homework for this week
What’s one initiative where resistance or support doesn’t make sense on the surface? What hidden agenda might explain it?
Things you could do to help you with this:
choose one stakeholder who seems resistant or unusually invested
observe their behaviour for inconsistencies
ask a curious, open ended question to find out more
test a hypothesis privately
adjust your framing to align with their unspoken priorities
Why this matters
Hidden agendas are the undercurrent of organisational politics. Ignore them, and you’ll be blindsided. Recognise them, and you’ll navigate with foresight. Align with them, and you’ll accelerate your impact
What’s unspoken often matters more than what’s said out loud. The product and transformation leaders who thrive are the ones who can see the hidden agendas and work with them wisely
Want to masterfully navigate the hidden agendas within your organisation and accelerate your impact?
Let’s work on this together. Here are three ways:
Influencing for Impact: This practical 2-day workshop is for you if you want to influence a decision maker, influence a change in customer or colleague behaviour, or influence someone to buy something from you
Executive and Leadership Team Coaching: Work directly with Lai-Ling to problem solve for your specific situation in a confidential setting. This is for you if you want to develop and execute on a game plan that is 100% tailored to you
Leadership Development: Invest in the product and transformation leaders in your company with leadership development that is customised for their role. This is for you if you want your people to learn about people and politics