If you want to make it big in your organisation, especially if it is a really busy place, you’ve got your work cut out.
The competition is intense. Hundreds, if not thousands, of ambitious and talented people all jockeying for position. Trying to get their voice heard. Clamouring for attention so they can push forward their ideas and land their results. Talent hoping to get spotted.
Many give up, using the excuse that they don’t do politics. Or, that their sense of integrity prohibits self-promotion. Instead, they settle in to their professional discipline. They develop ever greater technical or subject matter expertise. After all, this is what they really enjoy.
Yet, behind the myriad and convincing excuses lurks, a doubt, and a wish.
The doubt, “Maybe I should be doing more.” The wish, “Wouldn’t it be great if I could make a bigger impact?”
And, it is to those people I’d like to address this article. Because, yes, there is a way.
What you need to do is to learn how to influence like a professional. When you can influence, you can get things done, you can get noticed, and you can begin to achieve your goals far faster than others – even against formidable opposition.
To begin making a bigger impact, you need to master the six essential elements of strategic influence:
- The Bigger Picture: This involves clearly defining the arena in which you wish to succeed. Developing a deep understanding of the challenges and problems facing the group. Learning how it is responding to threats, opportunities, pressure, and influence from outside. Figuring out the way it makes decisions and its culture. Do not make the mistake of simply working from your own position. You have to really leap into your context.
- Learning the Politics: Then, within that arena you have to get to understand the players. Who’s who and what are their agendas. Professional agendas are only of initial interest, because what’s necessary is figuring out the personal agendas which really drive the individual decisions. You don’t have to play politics, but you do have to develop an intuitive grasp of what is really happening in your arena. Otherwise, you’ll just be shooting in the dark.
- The Dynamics of Power: While there may be many petty agendas running, you need to get really good at predicting results. The only way of doing this is to learn the mechanics of influence and power. How do all the big agendas collaborate and conflict. When you can see this clearly, you will start to see why things happen the way they do. In the process, you will begin to spot opportunities to advance your own purpose, cause or vision.
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- Unlocking Relationships: As you are mastering the preceding elements, you are going to come up short on the detail. Huge gaps will become apparent in your insight and knowledge. There are only two ways of filling these gaps. You can guess what people are driving for or, you can develop the kind of high-trust relationships that will offer deep political insight. Assumptions add fuel to negative politicking, so root them out as quickly as possible.
- Developing Vision, Purpose and Goals. Only now, having filled the gaps, can you get a prudent fix on what to shoot for. There is little point in spending time developing a vision that will be quashed by the powers that be. Instead, learn what is really needed, how it will fit with the powerful people, and then develop a vision that will help to address the problems they face. You can only side-step this with massive power, huge tenacity and a hide like a Rhino.
- Increasing Impact and Building Reputation. As the goals and results start to accumulate and impact the organisation, you need to leverage them for maximum effect. This is not about bragging, spinning or exaggerating. Instead, the point of this element is to find your own way of ensuring you get the credit you deserve, and use that consistently to reinforce your brand and reputation.
The last element brings me right back to the title of this article, and a final really important point.
If you want to make a really BIG impact, you have to stand for something.
Yes, you have to do a good job. Yes, you have to build substance. But often, doing a good job is just not good enough. To really stand out from the crowd and make an impact, you’ll need to have something to get noticed for.
Making a stand for something that you believe will have a significant and positive impact for your arena/organisation will begin to build for you the power of agenda – and that is open for anyone to develop, regardless of organisational level.
So, what do you stand for in your organisation?
Colin Gautrey
Provocative Coach/Mentor | Specialism: Impact and Influence
Ready to take the next step? Discover how personalised coaching can ignite your full potential and accelerate your success. When you’re ready, let’s talk about how we can work together to turn your vision into a reality.
The Gautrey Unleashed Blog
Ready to unleash your potential? Discover the secrets to achieving impact, influence, and lasting success. Subscribe to Gautrey Unleashed for practical insights that transform how you think, feel, and act.
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