The Blog

Dismantling Power Bases: Proceed with Caution

September 9, 2015 by Colin Gautrey

No, this is not a second coming of Niccolò Machiavelli. It is just that sometimes it is prudent to take action to remove powerful opposition – for all the right reasons. When this is on the agenda with coaching clients, what we are doing is evolving a clear strategy and plan of action to substantially shift power towards them. This means that others will lose a significant amount of power when my client succeeds. Which means, the stakes are high. If you think this is something you should do, bear in mind the main pros and cons. Read More

An Audience with Your New Boss

June 22, 2015 by Colin Gautrey

Bosses generally don't tend to stick around too long these days, and those who do, you probably wish they didn't. Frequently, bosses, being ambitious types, get promoted or move on to more exciting opportunities. That's if they are good. If they are not so clever, they get fired or choose to spend more time with their family. Regardless of why they go, their departure means that you are going to have a new boss to work for. People commonly approach this event with a Read More

I’m Right, You’re Wrong: Influence Undercurrents

March 30, 2015 by Colin Gautrey

There is a particularly unhelpful undercurrent flowing beneath the surface of many influencing attempts. Over the last few weeks I have spoken to many people. It is part of my research into the challenges that are holding people back from success. In many of them, I am getting the feeling that they hold the opinion that the person they wish to influence is wrong. For example, Jane. She wanted to know how to influence her boss, Lukas. She wanted him to support a particular project she was desperate to get off the ground. Jane took me through the rational argument. It was a no-brainer, "Why doesn't he get it? It's obvious we should do it!" As we talked I could feel Read More

Responding to Unrealistic Demands

March 2, 2015 by Colin Gautrey

We've all been there. You get a call (or more likely an email) requesting that you do something immediately, or within an impossibly short space of time. Alternatively, they may be asking for something that you simply do not have the resources to be able to deliver. Many times, these requests feel more like orders — people demanding that you do things without giving a thought to what else you have on your plate. In these situations, it is all too easy to react emotionally — especially if the definition of "unrealistic" is stretched to the extreme. Your plans for the day are thrown off course, other people may be let down, and those people may be your loved ones. No surprise that you may feel angry or frustrated by the lack of consideration shown by the person making the demand. If you're struggling to respond to Read More

How to Make Your Agenda Powerful

March 1, 2015 by Colin Gautrey

While running a webinar for Warwick Business School in 2016, something quite unexpected happened. This particular event ran quite soon after the publication of Influential Leadership: A Leader's Guide to Influence. It was the first opportunity that I had had to ask a large group of people to identify the sources of power they were currently using. As they placed their marks on my virtual slide, something very interesting emerged. Hardly any of them indicated Agenda as a source of power they used. This helped me to realise that the Power of Agenda is a massive opportunity for those who want to grow and develop their career, regardless of their level of experience and seniority. Let me back up a little. When writing Influential Leadership, I put a great deal of energy into researching and analysing what makes people Read More

Five Reasons Why You Should Use More Force

October 7, 2014 by Colin Gautrey

Influence by force is common, especially in the workplace. You may be thinking that it is odious and should not form a part of your influencing approach. Yet, used in the right way, and in the right circumstances, it can dramatically accelerate your progress. The purpose of this article is to make you stop and think for a moment. I'd like you to recognise the potential, think about the pros and cons, and then learn how to make careful and shrewd choices about your choice of influencing tactic. Let's start with the reasons why you should at least consider Read More

Time to Take More Control?

June 1, 2014 by Colin Gautrey

Most people in leadership roles are so busy surviving that they miss opportunities to become more powerful and influential. Rather than being a shaper, they remain stuck in reaction mode. Although understandable, it is not excusable if you want to be highly successful. The pressures exerted on people to achieve miracles with limited resources can be extreme. Hitting deadlines and year-end targets becomes an all-consuming pursuit. If you are feeling like this and struggling to survive, it is likely that you are not in control and are simply reacting to those around you. Happy with that? More importantly, do Read More

Building Visibility and Promoting Your Reputation

May 15, 2014 by Colin Gautrey

There are two schools of thought on this one. Let the performance speak for itself and the reputation will follow — the school of merit. And the other one, merit always needs a little help from a dose of prudent self-promotion. If you’re more inclined towards the school of merit, as a great many people are, you’ll need to be very patient. With time and consistent performance your reputation may become established. On the other hand, if you are doing a little self-promotion of your reputation, you’ll benefit in three Read More

Proactive Stakeholder Management

May 8, 2014 by Colin Gautrey

A stakeholder is any individual, team or organisation which has an interest or stake in what you are doing. Thinking about the work you are involved in, who benefits from what you do? These are stakeholders who have a positive interest in what you are doing. The term stakeholder management refers to taking a proactive and strategic approach to making sure that these stakeholders are "bought in" to the benefit you can bring to them, and support you in achieving your objective. As part of the process, you also need to recognise that not everyone will benefit from what you are doing. These people are also stakeholders even though they hold a negative interest in what you Read More

Developing an Influential Team Brand

April 7, 2014 by Colin Gautrey

Pause a moment. When you think of Apple, what comes to mind? How about Samsung, IBM or even Rolex? Whatever comes to mind represents the brand which you perceive them to have. While everyone may have different experiences of these companies, there will also be a huge amount of consistency between individuals’ perceptions. To the organisation concerned, these common impressions represent the brand they have succeeded in creating. They invest huge sums of money to get this right. When people in your organisation think about your team, what thoughts come into their minds? The common impressions they have as a population represent the brand you and your team have created. Your brand impression may be positive or negative (just like for big companies) depending on the common experiences people have when they interact with your team. If there isn’t much commonality it means your internal market is confused and your team has failed to make a distinct impression. A strong positive brand will Read More

The Gautrey Influence Blog: Inspiring Action and Success Since 2008