NOT AN MBA CHEAT SHEET
Influence
Bring your ideas to life. Influence scales your leadership.
You might have realised by now that being great at your job isn’t enough to get you noticed, or to bring people along with you.
Having great ideas is the first step: knowing how to bring them to life through others is the magic ingredient for change. That's where influence comes in.
Signs you need more influence
Your work doesn't get the attention it should.
You're not getting traction with important projects.
You'd like to manage difficult people more easily.
Not An MBA curriculum sneak peek
Influence: an introduction
Influence is about understanding relationships, networks and people - and using that knowledge to have real impact. It means getting comfortable with things you might have avoided until now, such as politics. Resisting politics can shut down opportunities and keeps us out of conversations where we could make a big difference.
Ultimately, influence comes down to two things: intent and impact. If your intention is in the right place, and if you’re aiming for the right thing, go for it.
How to build your influence
Take the time to consider how important it is for your ideas to take on a life of their own. How much of a difference would it make to your work if you had a tribe of believers and strong relationships that supported your efforts?
Consider the level of influence you need to have in the future and start to build those relationships now.
Map your network, prioritise time for connecting regularly with your most valued contacts and make a concerted effort to forge new connections in important areas.
Questions to ask
Am I likeable?
What do they need?
Why should they care?
Things to try
Show respect by clarifying what you need from others and what they need from you
Channel empathy by identifying the needs, fears and desires of your disengaged stakeholders
Show authenticity by communicating in ways that reach people.
Share passion by making your ideas meaningful and interesting.
Extend trust to build ownership and drive change.
Demonstrate integrity to build sustainable momentum.
Ready to be more influential?
Influence is one of five core skills you’ll learn on Not An MBA.
In week six, consider what makes an influential leader and how to align character and narrative with reputation. Learn to navigate different contexts and relationships and build trust for impact.
In the rest of the course, you’ll learn the other four skills - how to be more flexible to change, make better decisions, elevate from operational problem-solving to systems-thinking, and drive performance through focus.