Extract from Influential Leadership: A Leader’s Guide to Getting Things Done
The issues and priorities you focus your leadership attention on.
What is noticeable about all powerful and influential people is that they have very clear opinions about a whole variety of things in the wider organisation. They have also chosen to focus their agenda in a particular way. Their focus may be orientated towards fixing a certain problem or issue which the business faces. Or perhaps they have decided that the wider population need to view things in a specific way. Whatever it is, they have clarity and most people know what this is.
If you have been working on your Leadership Purpose in the previous chapter, you will already have a clear notion of what your own agenda is. However, because this source is defined as what you focus your leadership attention on, it can also include other things beyond or outside of your defined purpose.
For instance, you may be focused on someone else’s agenda. Without having a clear notion of what your purpose is you can still jump on other people’s agenda and use it to focus your effort and influence. This quite often happens in large organisations when a new CEO arrives. They most certainly have an agenda, and the wise senior managers will be very tempted to pick up and run with elements of that agenda. For instance, if you get a new CEO appointed with a cost-cutting agenda, .it would be sensible for you to begin focusing your attention on saving money before you are forced to. This could help you to become more visible, valued and influential with the new CEO.
NOTE: If you are facing your own political storm, check out the political dilemma analysis in Conflicting Agendas before it is too late!
Alternatively, due to your role responsibilities, you may have to focus on specific problems which might otherwise hold little interest for you, or relevance to your purpose. Examples of this include annual budgeting, planning, audits and governance. All of these are important aspects of organisational life, but usually fall well outside of notions of purpose, unless you happen to be the Chief Compliance Officer.
Agenda gains it power and influence in three ways:
- Clarity. The easier it is for people to see where you are trying to go, the more likely they will cooperate and do what you need them to do. If they are left guessing about your direction, they may not know what to do for the best.
- Confidence. Clarity exudes confidence. When people see confidence they are more likely to be influenced than when they see doubt and uncertainty. Confidence conveys credibility.
- Buy-in. If those exposed to your agenda like what they see, and realise they will benefit from getting there, they’ll help you all the way.
The topic of agenda will be returned to time and again throughout the book. As an Influential Leader you have to have a clear agenda and be able to see and understand other agendas, at both an individual and group level.
This structure of power is perhaps the most practical way of looking at how people influence each other, and helps to shine the light on how you engage with your stakeholders. The structure outlined in my book Influential Leadership has proved extremely useful to my senior executive clients. However, for everyone, the starting point is learning more about what power you currently have. Currently, you can complete a simple and fast diagnostic of your personal power, completely free of charge:
Complete your Personal Power Profile
Then you can begin to chart the differences between your own position and those of your important stakeholders, and learn how to exert more influence with them!
If you found this useful, you’ll probably like: How to Make Your Agenda Powerful
Colin Gautrey
Provocative Coach/Mentor | Specialism: Impact and Influence
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