Yep - you offer up a sacrificial bikeshed/duck for management to meddle with, whilst the important stuff is left alone. Could be one person or a committee/group - its the same thing.
Or, as Thomas Jefferson did, you overwhelm them with excessive preparation, so that they are reduced to making minor suggestions and your vision goes through.
http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2011/03/03/thomas-jefferson-me...