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Key Takeaways Top-tier leaders master the art of influence by creating space for others, actively listening and seizing informal opportunities to drive change.
Talking too much can limit a leader’s ability to empower their team, while deep listening builds trust and fosters collaboration.
Building influence extends beyond formal meetings into everyday interactions where trust and rapport are established.
As you climb the corporate ladder, your ability to influence employees, colleagues and higher-ups becomes a key leadership skill, yet it’s not one you’re typically taught in business school or on the job. It’s a skill that you must learn through experience, often by trial and error.
As an executive coach, leaders often ask me, “How do I become influential? Is there a trick to get people to like you at work?” While there’s no secret formula, there are proven ways to be more impactful, as well as common pitfalls that can limit your influence. Let’s explore three of the most frequent.
1. Talking too much
One of the most common barriers to influence is dominating conversations. While well-intended, talking too much can stifle innovation. If you want to influence effectively, you need to learn when to speak up and when to make room for your colleagues.
I recently coached a senior executive who was contributing actively in every meeting. Initially, she believed she was sharing her strategic vision. In reality, she was dominating the conversations and stifling creativity. She had hired senior leaders, yet treated them like junior staff. There might be times when you need to give direction, but leadership, especially as you climb the ladder, is about empowering your team, removing roadblocks and then getting out of their way, not telling them what to do.
We came up with several strategies to transform her from a manager to a true influencer. First, I challenged her to sit through an entire leadership meeting without speaking, as I wanted her to make space for her leaders to step up. She was nervous, but her team quickly took charge and presented issues — and solutions — that surprised her.
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