5 Ways to Influence Your Organization

Power can often seem unattainable. How can those outside an organization’s established power structures gain influence and make change?

Perhaps you’re an early- or mid-career professional hoping to sway your organization to pivot to sustainable practices or change its culture to be more inclusive. Maybe you’re an experienced manager trying to grow your influence at your new company to help generate positive business returns.

No matter your role, acquiring influence relies on your knowledge of how power works, how to propose and enact change, and how to use emotional intelligence to build and cultivate your network. Before diving into how to gain influence, here’s a primer on what power is.

What Is Power?

To understand what power is, you first need to understand what it isn’t. According to Harvard Business School Professor Julie Battilana, who teaches the online course Power and Influence for Positive Impact, there are three common misconceptions about power:

1. Power is dirty.
2. Power is something you possess.
3. Power is only for those at the top.

Power is simply the ability to influence a person or group’s behaviors. It’s not an inherent quality some automatically have, nor is it “dirty” or “bad”—unless it’s used to harm others. Power, according to Battilana, is for all; anyone can gain power and influence and use it to create positive change.

To do so, you need to learn about how power works, map its flow within your organization, and use emotional intelligence to develop a strong network.

Related: 5 Critical Social Impact Skills You Need to Effect Change

How to Influence Your Organization

1. Cultivate Connections

Building your network is the most important part of developing influence within your organization. Doing so takes effort; it’s much more than swapping business cards or connecting on LinkedIn. The strongest networks are those made up of people with whom you have meaningful connections.

To build those connections, start by identifying who you’re already close with. Who could they introduce you to?

Next, consider who shares your interests, both work-related and personal. Bonding over shared interests can go a long way for a new relationship.

Finally, when you feel the time is right, strengthen a connection by disclosing something personal. For instance, if you and a co-worker bonded over having the same dog breed, you may tell them if you’re worried about your dog’s health. By opening up to them, you lay a foundation of trust.

True connections require attention over time. Make sure you keep up with those in your network and reach out when you’re not asking for anything from them.

Power and Influence for Positive Impact outlines three network characteristics to keep in mind:

• Breadth: How diverse is my network in terms of background, perspective, and experience?
• Depth: How close am I to each person in my network?
• Density: How well do the people in my network know each other?

When building your network, diversity is key. In terms of depth, there are advantages to having both stronger and weaker ties. It’s also wise to have high-density network clusters in which everyone is connected and low-density clusters in which you’re the common factor that links all parties. Variety is likely to occur naturally; keep in mind that each connection type offers benefits.

2. Create a Power Map

In Power and Influence for Positive Impact, Battilana stresses that, to gain power, you must understand its structure. One way to learn how power is distributed in your organization is to create a power map.

Power mapping is the process of visualizing who holds more or less power in a specific environment. When applied to an organizational setting, it helps determine how to navigate workplace politics and gain influence.

Those with the most power are called central individuals and often primary sources of information, resources, and advice on specific topics. As part of your power mapping exercise, identify your organization’s central individuals and what resources they control.

3. Develop a Specialized Skill

Another way to gain power is by possessing knowledge, information, or resources that are difficult to access.

If you’re interested in a specific topic that applies to your role or industry, consider taking a course in the subject that equips you with actionable skills, knowledge, and tools you can apply to your daily work.

This can grant you influence in conversations where your new knowledge is valuable. Colleagues may turn to you for help or to learn about the subject. If that’s the case, you can forge connections by helping them build their skills.

4. Speak Up and Influence Through Actions

If you aim to influence a formal process or pitch an idea, know that change won’t happen unless you speak up and propose it. Start by talking to close connections about it to gauge interest, refine your proposal, and garner support before bringing it to your manager, director, or broader team.

If you want to influence something intangible, such as your company’s culture, actions often speak louder than words. While discussing your intentions with colleagues and formally proposing a culture shift can help, your actions are your most influential tool for intangible change.

For instance, imagine your company’s culture is rooted in mistrust and competition, and you want to shift it to be more supportive and teamwork-focused. Start by congratulating colleagues on recent wins and recognizing those who supported your successes. The people around you will notice this, and those in your network may join in because of their relationships with you. Your actions matter and can influence those around you to change their behaviors, too.

5. Lead with a Team Mentality

When proposing new ideas or changes, consider the perspectives of all stakeholders. What are their primary motivations? How will change positively or negatively impact their workstreams, team members, and goals? You can’t always please everyone, but it’s wise to prioritize key stakeholders and those you’re close with to solidify mutual trust.

If stakeholders are people with whom you’ve formed connections, you likely have a good idea of their goals and motivations. They also likely trust you to keep their best interest in mind. When presenting, be assertive and direct about the change’s goal, anticipated impacts, and what’s in it for them.

Gaining Influence for Positive Change

No matter your role within your organization, you can gain influence and make a positive impact. By understanding power, you can build your network, develop your skills, and propose and lead organizational change.

If you’re interested in learning more about the intricacies of power structures, how to shift power dynamics, and exercise power ethically and responsibly, consider taking a course like Power and Influence for Positive Impact.

Want to learn more about power and influence? Explore Power and Influence for Positive Impact, one of our online courses in the business in society subject area. Not sure which business in society course is for you? Download our free flowchart to determine which best fits your goals.