《问道》手游里程碑首曝 周年版今日开启预约

In my work as a consultant and facilitator, I spend a great deal of time with talent and learning leaders, founders, entrepreneurs and experts who are driving bold initiatives and new ideas to change the way organizations work. These are leaders working to shape new cultures, transition to skills-based models, develop modern leadership behaviors, or lead the adoption of AI within their organizations.

Across all of these conversations, one theme consistently emerges: the need to get others on board. Whether it’s launching a new idea, aligning a team around a shared goal, or navigating change, success hinges on one thing: influence.

However, even those in positions of formal authority, such as executives, managers, or team leads, cannot rely solely on title or power. Telling people what to do does not guarantee action or alignment. Influence is what fills that gap. It helps leaders inspire rather than instruct, and enables individuals at all levels to drive impact, even without formal authority.

That is why cultivating influence is essential. No matter your role, function, or level, your ability to shape thinking, foster collaboration, and mobilize action is one of your most valuable professional assets.

What follows is a distilled version of a keynote I deliver called Cultivating Influence. It includes practical tools and strategies that anyone, whether a team lead, project manager, or emerging leader, can use to build meaningful influence and drive results within their organization.

Why Influence Is Critical in Today’s Workplace

In today’s dynamic and complex workplace, influence is no longer a soft skill,it's a strategic necessity. Whether you're leading a cross-functional initiative, trying to scale a new idea, or looking to gain buy-in from key stakeholders, your ability to influence others determines your impact. The most successful professionals aren’t just experts in their craft; they are relationship builders, system navigators, and strategic communicators.

This article explores a framework called Cultivating Influence, which I developed through my coaching and leadership work with high-performing professionals and organizations. It breaks down the skills and behaviors that allow individuals to earn trust, demonstrate credibility, navigate complex organizational systems, and engage with empathy.

Why Influence Matters Now More Than Ever

If we think about the modern workplace today, a few things come to mind: it’s complex, cross-functional, and constantly changing. Technology has made us more connected than ever, but that doesn’t mean we’re aligned. It’s truly hard, especially if you work in a mid-size to large organization to work on anything on your own. Projects are rarely executed in silos—they require collaboration across functions, geographies, and priorities. And in that environment, the most valuable currency is influence.

Influence helps you:

• Get buy-in without having formal authority.
• Inspire action and alignment among peers.
• Build coalitions around ideas.
• Navigate resistance and change with grace.

But here's the challenge: Most of us can't make people do things. Maybe a few things, but definitely not all things. Most of the time, all we can do is influence them. And that means playing the long game,building relationships, communicating clearly, and earning the right to be heard.

In a world filled with noise, deadlines, and shifting priorities, the people who stand out aren't necessarily the loudest. They're the most influential. Cultivating influence is how you get your ideas heard, get support for what you’re working on, and succeed at both the team and individual level.

What Is Influence, Really?

Definitions are always a great place to start: Influence is the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something.

Influence happens every day: in meetings, hallway conversations, emails, Slack messages, presentations, and one-on-ones. The real question is whether you’re using those interactions intentionally. Are you planting seeds of trust? Are you making your expertise visible? Are you building goodwill?

Influence isn’t one big moment. It’s built across hundreds of small interactions over time.

The Four Principles of Cultivating Influence

After working with thousands of professionals and leaders across industries, I’ve found that influence can be developed by focusing on four core principles:

1. Intentionally Earn Trust
2. Demonstrate Credibility and Expertise
3. Understand Organizational Dynamics
4. Engage With Empathy

Each principle provides a mindset shift, along with practical actions you can use in your daily work. Let’s dive into each.

1. Intentionally Earn Trust

We tend to support people we know, like, and trust. It's a human truth, and one that plays out every day at work. If someone asks you for help or support and you like them, you’re probably going to try to help them. And the same holds true for you: That means your first job as a leader, contributor, or teammate is to invest in relationships that foster trust.

There are two types of trust that matter:

• Cognitive Trust: Do I believe you're competent and reliable?
• Affective Trust: Do I feel connected to you? Do I believe you care?

The best influencers build both. They demonstrate skill and warmth. They show up consistently, follow through, and make others feel seen.

But here’s the key: Trust doesn’t just “happen.” You have to earn it, intentionally, repeatedly, and authentically. You have to make regular “deposits” into what I call the trust bank account.

Practical ways to earn trust:

• Five-Minute Favors: Do something thoughtful for a colleague that takes very little time but has outsized impact, like sending a quick thank-you note or offering public recognition.
• Ask for Advice: Involve others early. People trust those who value their perspective.
• Intentional 1:1s: Proactively build relationships with peers, stakeholders, and cross-functional partners.
• Proactively Share Feedback: Don’t wait for performance review cycles. Offer feedback that’s timely, specific, and helpful.

Reflection prompt: Who are the three most important people you need to build or rebuild trust with—and what small action could you take this week to do that?

2. Demonstrate Credibility and Expertise

Doing great work is important (as is working hard) but it’s not enough.

To influence others, you need to make your expertise visible. You have to show up in rooms, in conversations, and in decisions where your knowledge can have an impact. You need to own your story and let others know how you can contribute. The way that I like to think about this is that sharing your credibility and expertise helps other people know how you can help them, and also, helps other people help you.

Unfortunately, many professionals feel uncomfortable with self-advocacy. They fear being seen as boastful or attention-seeking. But reframing self-promotion as generosity can help. When you share what you know, you’re making it easier for others to collaborate with you, learn from you, and bring you into the work where you can make a difference.

Common beliefs that hold people back:

• “It feels like bragging.”
• “My work should speak for itself.”
• “I wasn’t taught how to promote myself.”

But here's the truth: If people don’t know what you do, they can’t support you, refer you, or learn from you. Influence grows when credibility is earned—and then shared.

Ways to demonstrate credibility:

• Summarize & Share Your Work: Don’t let your contributions go unnoticed. Document project outcomes and send updates to your team or manager.
• Share Your Expertise: Offer to lead a lunch-and-learn, facilitate a training, or write an internal guide on something you know well.
• Pre-Heat Ideas: Float ideas in advance to build interest and alignment before a formal pitch.
• Facilitate Learning: Create spaces where peers can connect and learn together, especially around your areas of strength.

Reflection prompt: What do you want to be known for in your organization? If a respected colleague were to ask you for help, what would you want that call to be about?

3. Understand Organizational Dynamics

To influence others, you need more than strong relationships and expertise, you need organizational acumen. You must understand how things actually get done: who makes decisions, how information flows, what behaviors are rewarded, and where informal power lives.

Organizations aren’t just org charts and job titles. They’re systems. Made up of norms, rituals, incentives, and unwritten rules. If you want your ideas to gain traction, you need to navigate the system skillfully.

Think of it like driving: If you were trying to get from Los Angeles to New York City you don’t just focus on your own car. You read traffic signals, notice how others behave, and adjust your approach accordingly. The same is true if you’re trying to achieve a goal, and get others to support your work inside of an organization. Before jumping in, you’ve got to observe the organizational dynamics.

Organizational dynamics to observe:

• Rewards: What gets measured, celebrated, and funded?
• Norms: How do people communicate, collaborate, and make decisions?
• Influencers: Who holds power (formally or informally?)
• Rituals: What events, meetings, or milestones matter most?

Practical actions to build awareness:

• Map Your Stakeholders: Know who matters to your work and what matters to them.
• Talk to Influencers: Seek out “culture carriers” who can help you decode unspoken norms.
• Learn the Unwritten Rules: Ask your manager or mentor about the behaviors that lead to success.
• Share Your Working Style: Create a team “user manual” to improve collaboration and alignment.

Reflection prompt: What’s one norm or dynamic in your organization that, if better understood, would help you influence more effectively?

4. Engage With Empathy

Even when you’ve built trust, demonstrated credibility, and learned the system, there’s one more ingredient: empathy. Because influence is ultimately about people.

Humans don’t make decisions based on logic alone. In fact, research shows that 90-95% of our decisions are made using intuitive, emotional (System 1) thinking, not rational analysis. That means if you rely solely on facts, data, or charts, your message might fall flat.

To truly influence others, you must connect with how they feel. You must show that you understand their reality, their constraints, goals, and concerns. That’s where empathy comes in.

Empathy isn’t about being soft or passive. It’s about being strategic and human at the same time. It’s about communicating in a way that others can hear, support, and champion.

Tactics to engage with empathy:

• Make It Easy: Remove friction. Simplify your request. Do the heavy lifting.
• The WIP (Work In Progress): Share drafts early. Invite input. People support what they help build.
• “Door in the Face”: Start with a big ask that you expect someone to say no to (aka door in the fact) then follow with a smaller, more reasonable one. (people have a hard time saying no twice)
• Co-Create the Means: Let others shape how the work gets done and allow them to exercise their skill and agency. Offer flexibility and choice.
• Influence Their Influencers: Gain support from someone they already trust, and let that social proof carry weight.

Reflection prompt: When was the last time you adjusted your approach because you knew your audience cared more about emotion than logic?

Cultivating influence isn’t about manipulation, it’s about making your impact visible, building real relationships, and helping others win alongside you. Influence, after all, is how we move ideas forward. And in today’s workplace, that makes it one of your most important professional superpowers.

TLDR: If you forgot everything else, remember this:

• In work today, we all need each other to be successful. You need my help and I need yours. Influence starts with relationships.
• Trust is the currency of influence. Cognitive and affective trust both matter, and trust happens in small moments
• You have expertise worth sharing. Don’t hide it: shine a light on it, and share it with others. Help people help you
• Understanding the system helps you work smarter. It’s not (just) about you.
• People don’t just want data: they want to feel seen and have agency. Lead and engage with empathy to get others to participate and support.

Before You Go

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this newsletter and found it valuable and would like to work together, here are three ways. If you’re looking for some help for your learning and development, leadership development, I’d love to work with you: Here is how I might be able to assist:

• Leadership & Learning Programs: Formal training and leadership development in your company, such as new manager or new leader training, or skill-based programs. (See Here for more details)
• Keynote Speaking - Do you have a conference, offsite, or event and in need of a speaker? I’d love to hear more and see how I can assist
• 1:1 Executive Coaching - Are you looking for an executive coach for 1:1 leadership support? Let’s chat about how we can work together

Feel free to contact me directly for more details!