We are now on Day 12 of the US Government Shutdown. Government shutdowns happen when Congress doesn’t approve funding on time. Federal agencies pause “non-essential” work, some workers go unpaid, and public services slow down. Essential services (like the military and Social Security) keep running, but many programs and offices temporarily close. Republicans and democrats have dug in deep this time around. This story might just be getting started.
How to Uncover the Real Decision Maker (Without Looking Like a Pushy Salesperson)
You know that sinking feeling when you’ve spent weeks nurturing a deal, only to hear “I need to run this by my boss” at the last minute?
Yeah, we’ve all been there.
The problem isn’t that you’re a bad salesperson.
The problem is you’re talking to the wrong person.
Or worse, you’re talking to the right person but you have no idea who else is lurking in the shadows, waiting to torpedo your deal.
Here’s the thing: people rarely volunteer information about their internal politics.
They won’t just tell you “Oh, by the way, Sarah from Finance can kill this deal with one email.”
Sorry, deal killers!
You have to dig for it, but you have to dig smart.
The Trust-First Framework
Before we get into the tactical questions, let’s get one thing straight: this isn’t about being sneaky.
It’s about building genuine trust so your contact actually wants to help you navigate their organization successfully.
When someone trusts you, they become your internal champion.
They’ll warn you about potential roadblocks, introduce you to key players, and even coach you on how to position things for different stakeholders.
But trust doesn’t happen when you’re clearly just trying to get information for your own benefit.
It happens when you’re genuinely trying to help them succeed.
The “Risk-Forward” Question Strategy
Instead of asking “Who makes the final decision?” (which screams “I’m trying to sell you something”), flip the script and focus on risk mitigation.
Here are five questions that feel consultative, not sales-y:
1. “It feels like we are on a really solid track and the team is excited…. (name), who could say no to this partnership?”
My favorite question. Need to have earned the right to ask this one but it’ll get your champion’s mind racing.
2. “What’s happened in the past when initiatives like this have failed here?”
This uncovers both process issues and political landmines.
You’ll learn about departments that need to be involved, past vendor relationships that went sideways, and internal champions who got burned.
3. “If this goes sideways six months from now, who’s going to be blamed?”
Brutal but effective. The person who gets blamed is either the decision maker or reports directly to them.
Plus, this positions you as someone who thinks long-term about their success.
4. “Who’s going to be your biggest skeptic internally?”
Everyone has one.
And once you know who it is, you can ask how to address their concerns upfront instead of being blindsided later.
5. “When you’ve bought similar solutions before, who surprised you by having strong opinions?”
Finance always has opinions about budget.
IT always has opinions about security.
Legal always has opinions about contracts.
But there’s usually one random person who comes out of nowhere with deal-killing concerns.
Red Flags That You’re Still Missing Someone…
Watch for these warning signs that there are more decision makers you haven’t identified:
Your contact uses phrases like “we’ll need to socialize this” or “I need to get buy-in”
They can’t give you specific timelines for next steps
They defer budget questions with vague answers
They mention “the team” or “leadership” without naming specific people
The Champion Development Strategy
Once you’ve identified all the players, your job shifts to developing champions at multiple levels. Here’s how:
For your main contact: Help them build the internal business case. Give them the ammunition they need to sell this internally.
For influencers: Understand their specific concerns and address them proactively. If IT is worried about security, lead with security benefits.
For skeptics: Don’t avoid them, engage them. Ask what would need to be true for them to feel good about this decision.
For the final decision maker: Focus on strategic outcomes, not features. They care about results, not the details of how you’ll deliver them.
Making It All Feel Natural
The key to all of this is timing and context. Don’t run through these questions like a checklist in your first meeting.
Spread them out across multiple conversations, and always tie them back to helping your contact succeed.
Instead of: “Who else is involved in this decision?” Try: “I want to make sure we address everyone’s concerns upfront so this goes smoothly for you. Who else typically weighs in on partnerships like this?”
Remember: people can smell agenda from a mile away.
But they’re drawn to genuine curiosity about their business and authentic desire to help them win internally.
When you approach it this way, they don’t just answer your questions.
They start volunteering information you didn’t think to ask about.
Win the week!!!
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