The art of influence

The true measure of leadership isn’t about winning every debate; it’s about ensuring that your perspective is heard and that it adds value to the conversation.

here’s the hard truth: if a decision is made that you strongly disagree with, and you failed to provide input beforehand, that’s on you . Influence isn’t about reacting after the fact—it’s about proactively shaping the conversation before a choice is locked in. If you don’t step up and contribute when it matters most, you can’t be surprised when th... See more

With alignment in place, the next step is to recommend a better solution . Critiquing a decision without offering a viable alternative is a fast track to losing credibility. If you’re going to challenge an idea, you need to bring something stronger to the table.

The first step in effectively influencing a decision is to deeply understand and acknowledge the current decision path . If you don’t demonstrate a clear grasp of the reasoning behind the existing trajectory, your perspective will likely be dismissed before it even gets considered.

In reality, influencing decisions requires hard work, discipline, and a willingness to stake your reputation. At its core, decision-making involves creating tangible artifacts—through the act of making—that enable decisions to be reached.