He was often involved in important decision making that exceeded jurisdiction of his official post as seen in the case in which, when FUJIWARA no Tadazane resigned from Kanpaku (chief adviser to the Emperor) in 1120, he rejected the proposal to appoint Tadazane's uncle, FUJIWARA no Ietada as the successor.
保安元年(1120年)藤原忠実が関白を辞した際には忠実の叔父藤原家忠の後継就任案を退けるなど、自らの官職を越えて重要な政策の決定に関わることが多かった。