LTI: Learning to Influence Welcome
Command and Control: Alive and Kicking
Some writers on leadership like to imagine that the ancient leadership style of command and control is obsolete and disappearing fast. Does it feel like that to you? It is certainly less prevalent than it may have been in the 70s and 80s, but it remains pretty vigorous — at least judging by the volume of examples I hear of each month. And perhaps it should be too. Command and control still has a place in leadership and it always will — provided it is done in the right way.
Alive and kicking it is and you should be taking the latter word metaphorically rather than literally!
Below I will share with you three scenarios where I believe command and control is absolutely the right style to adopt. And to help me avoid becoming the friend and mentor to mini-despots the world over, please make sure and also read the criteria for appropriate use of command and control at the end of this article! Read More
Elements of Professional Influence Series
This content is for members only
Handling Conflicting Agendas
When you are clear about what you want to achieve, it is often frustrating to find that others do not share your enthusiasm. A great deal of time and effort is expended building the case, considering the risks and planning the execution. Everything seems to make sense and you are keen to get going – you want to implement swiftly. Then the problems start.
Reaching out to your stakeholders, you begin to find out that some are not interested. They fail to buy-in to your project or, worse, don’t even give you the time to explain your plans. When you do get to see them, they start to share insights with you about other things going on elsewhere in the organisation, which seem to be in direct conflict with what you are working on.
Trouble is, you can see that they may have a valid point. Doubts begin to Read More
Making Sense of Political Upheaval
At times the power games and political manoeuvring appear undecipherable. An implicit feature of politics is that of imperfect information — not many know what is really going on. And the actors often relish and encourage that. Mere mortals should keep out of the way, unless they serve as useful and expendable pawns.
In this article, I'm going to expand on a previous article (Understanding Your Reputational Context) and up the ante by sharing with you a process whereby you can apply Scenario Planning to deepen your insight and hopefully, foresight. Read More
Political Situation Case Study D: Turf Wars
Turf Wars: Two powerful people are fighting to win control of your function -- and you are caught in the middle
In any organisation there are powerful people. Most seek to acquire more power and influence. As their power grows, someone else loses power. People compete to acquire more resources, more control -- and anything else they can get their hands on -- to become more influential. Their motive may be authentic and have integrity – but it is natural to seek more territory. The arrival of the matrix structure means we see Turf Wars more often. Many of us now have two -– or more – bosses which makes this dilemma more likely. If our bosses are competing with each other, we are Read MorePolitical Situation Case Study C: Power Vacuum
The Power Vacuum: Your boss has moved on and a successor has yet to be appointed. Suddenly nobody is quite sure what to do
Good leadership provides direction and purpose for our team. Great leaders direct our efforts to where they will have the greatest impact. They help us to work together by making the tough calls and keeping us on track. An effective leader is a stabilising and motivating influence on us. They enable us to perform and help us enhance our career. But, what happens when they leave unexpectedly? What was once taken Read MoreNine Potent Ways to Influence Your Colleagues
We talk a great deal about influencing stakeholders here on the influence blog, yet sometimes it is those closest to you that are a missed opportunity. If you can influence your colleagues, team members and closest co-workers, a great many others things become possible.
So, without further ado, here are nine ways you can become a more influential team member:
- Understand their goals. Key to being influential with people is having a deep insight into what they are striving for, or trying to avoid. If you can figure out their personal and professional agendas, you will develop a keener sense of how things that you do will affect them, and how they will react.
- Be an enthusiast, of them. My oldest self-development book (Masters of the Situation by James Tilley, 1888) proposes enthusiasm as one of the secrets of power and influence. Still true, and here you can apply it to your colleagues and their goals.
Can I Trust You? Are You Sure?
Obvious answer – of course you can! You know that. But, do they?
It is far easier that you may realise for others to distrust you. You don’t need to do anything wrong to see their level of trust in you dip. Indeed, it may be nothing whatsoever to do with you. However, the negative impact on your work will be big.
Read More
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- …
- 119
- Next Page »