The Power Behind the Bid: How Authority Shapes Strategy, Decisions, and Team Dynamics

In high-stakes bidding, decisions need to be made quickly, strategy needs to be sharp, and reviews need to be honest and effective. But beneath the deadlines and deliverables lies something we don’t talk about enough: power.

Who really makes the decisions?

Whose voice carries weight in the room, and whose gets left unheard?

How often do reviews become rubber stamps rather than real strategic challenges?

In many bid teams, power and authority shape everything, from what gets said in a kick-off meeting to how feedback is received in a final review. Sometimes it’s overt. But more often, it’s subtle:

• A senior leader joins a meeting and the energy shifts.

• A good idea gets overlooked because it didn’t come from the “right” person.

• Reviews become less about strengthening the bid and more about pleasing a stakeholder.

These dynamics can have a serious impact, not just on bid quality, but on team morale, creativity, and long-term performance. When decision-making is unclear or overly hierarchical, teams go quiet. Strategy gets diluted. Reviews lose their edge. The bid becomes something that’s done to the team, rather than something they own and drive together.

At Win Smart, we see this often in our work with work-winning teams. And we also see the transformation that’s possible when teams shine a light on these dynamics.

When power flows in one direction, ideas can get lost in the current. Great bid teams create space for every voice to shape the strategy.

Through team coaching, we help bid teams explore questions like:

• What power dynamics are at play here?

• How do we make decisions, and who gets to shape them?

• Are our review processes genuinely adding value, or just reinforcing hierarchy?

Creating space to talk about these things, openly and safely, can change everything. It leads to better strategy, clearer accountability, and more empowered, resilient teams who know how to collaborate under pressure.

Because the best bids aren’t just well-written, they’re built on trust, shared purpose, and inclusive leadership.