When it comes to becoming influential, you need to go through a number of steps. Firstly, it will pay huge dividends if you get crystal clear on what you are aiming to influence. This includes moving from a hard goal, to a soft goal, and then backing it up with evidence criteria. With that clear, it become much easier to identify who the key stakeholders are – those who have the power and interest to help or hinder your progress. Without doing this, most people seem to focus on the stakeholders who Read More

Petty politicking in the workplace breeds disharmony and damages the culture of an organisation. If you don't want to join in and are looking for a more positive and constructive way to turn these incidents around, try this seven step process. Read More

When you have to engage with someone, and you have a difficult message to deliver, a decision needs to be made about how direct and assertive you can be. Put another way, you need to decide how tactful and diplomatic you have to be to avoid causing offense. Unfortunately, this decision is often an automatic one based on our own personal preferences. Direct and assertive people like people to be very direct when speaking. That is how their world operates. However, others are more sensitive and like to work with a great degree of harmony. That is Read More

The purpose of case studies is to stimulate thinking and discussion. There are rarely right and wrong answers. Ultimately, a case study is presented to help you to learn how to use the process and apply it to your own Read More

Here is an opportunity to put theory into practice. Below you will find a brief outline of the situation facing a former client, Jim. Once you have digested the points below, please complete the exercise. This is best done with colleagues so Read More

Exercise produced exclusively for participants of the Applying Strategic Influence.   In part two (Stakeholder Mapping and Analysis) we covered the need to analyse individual stakeholders. Use this exercise as many times as you need, and Read More

The guide below explains the general approach to use this exercise. Below are links to how to apply it to slightly different subjects. Read More

Now it is time to start applying this to you. What is it about you which helps you to influence other people? Why do people do what you want them to do? How are you able to land your project Read More

To begin, I'd like you to identify three or four people you know quite well who are influential. If you are working for a large organisation, try to select of people who work there. Alternatively, think Read More