HOW TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE

HOW TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE

LEADERSHIP AGILITY

By
Francisco Brillo
 1. HOW TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE

10 POWERFUL WAYS TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE IN

A POSITIVE WAY
 2. BE AUTHENTIC
• TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE IN A POSITIVE WAY,
BE AUTHENTIC. RATHER THAN BEING A
CARBON COPY OF SOMEONE ELSE’S VERSION
OF AUTHENTICITY, UNCOVER WHAT IT IS
THAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE.
 BE AUTHENTIC

• DISCOVER YOUR UNIQUE TAKE ON AN ISSUE AND THEN

LIVE UP TO AND HONOR THAT. ONCE OF THE REASONS
SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS ARE SO POWERFUL IS THAT
THEY HAVE CARVED OUT A NICHE FOR THEMSELVES OR
TAKEN A COMMON ISSUE AND APPROACHED IT FROM A
NOVEL OR UNCOMMON WAY. PEOPLE INSTINCTUALLY
APPRECIATE PEOPLE WHOSE PUBLIC PERSONA MATCHES
THEIR PRIVATE VALUES.
 BE AUTHENTIC

• CONTRADICTIONS BOTHER US BECAUSE WE

CRAVE STABILITY. WHEN SOMEONE PROFESSES TO
BE ONE WAY, BUT LIVES CONTRARY TO THAT
PROFESSION, IT SIGNALS THAT THEY ARE
CONFUSED OR UNTRUSTWORTHY AND THEREBY,
INAUTHENTIC. NEITHER OF THESE COMBINATIONS
BODE WELL FOR POSITIVELY INFLUENCING
 3. LISTEN
• GROWING UP, MY FATHER WOULD TELL ME TO LISTEN TO
WHAT OTHERS SAID. HE TOLD ME IF I LISTENED CAREFULLY, I
WOULD KNOW ALL I NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT A PERSON’S
CHARACTER, DESIRES AND NEEDS.
 LISTEN

• TO POSITIVELY INFLUENCE OTHERS, YOU MUST LISTEN TO

WHAT IS SPOKEN AND WHAT IS LEFT UNSAID. THEREIN
LIES THE EXPLANATION FOR WHAT PEOPLE NEED IN
ORDER TO FEEL VALIDATED, SUPPORTED AND SEEN. IF A
PERSON FEELS THEY ARE INVISIBLE, AND UNSEEN BY
THEIR SUPERIORS, THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE
POSITIVELY INFLUENCED BY THAT PERSON.
• LISTENING MEETS A PERSON’S PRIMARY NEED OF
VALIDATION AND ACCEPTANCE.
 4. BECOME AN EXPERT
• MOST PEOPLE ARE PREDISPOSED TO LISTEN TO, IF NOT
RESPECT, AUTHORITY. IF YOU WANT TO POSITIVELY
INFLUENCE OTHERS, BECOME AN AUTHORITY IN THE
AREA IN WHICH YOU SEEK TO LEAD OTHERS. RESEARCH
AND READ EVERYTHING YOU CAN ABOUT THE GIVEN
TOPIC, AND THEN LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO PUT
YOUR EDUCATION INTO PRACTICE.
• YOU CAN ARGUE OVER OPINIONS. YOU CANNOT ARGUE,
 5. LEAD WITH STORY
• FROM YEARS OF WORKING IN THE PUBLIC RELATIONS
SPACE, I KNOW THAT PERSONAL NARRATIVES,
TESTIMONIALS AND IMPACT STORIES ARE INCREDIBLY
POWERFUL. BUT I NEVER CEASE TO BE AMAZED WITH HOW
EFFECTIVE A WELL-TIMED AND TOLD STORY CAN BE.
• IF YOU WANT TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE, LEARN TO TELL
STORIES. YOUR STORIES SHOULD BE RELATED TO THE
ISSUE OR CONCEPT YOU ARE DISCUSSING. THEY SHOULD
BE AN ANALOGY OR METAPHOR THAT EXPLAINS YOUR
TOPIC IN ORDINARY TERMS AND IN VIVID DETAIL.
 6. LEAD BY EXAMPLE
• IT IS INCREDIBLY INSPIRING TO WATCH PASSIONATE,
TALENTED PEOPLE AT WORK OR PLAY. ONE OF THE
REASONS A PERSON WHO IS NOT AN ATHLETE CAN
BE IN AWE OF ATHLETIC PROWESS IS BECAUSE
HUMAN NATURE APPRECIATES THE
EXTRAORDINARY.
 LEAD BY EXAMPLE

WHEN WE WATCH THE OLYMPICS, OLYMPIC TRIALS,

GYMNASTIC COMPETITIONS, ICE SKATING, AND OTHER
COMPETITIVE SPORTS, WE CAN RECOGNIZE THE EFFORT
OF PEOPLE WHO DAY IN AND DAY OUT GIVE THEIR ALL.
CASE IN POINT: SIMONE BILES. THE GYMNAST
EXTRAORDINAIRE WON HER 6TH ALL-AROUND TITLE AT
THE U.S. GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS AFTER DOING A
TRIPLE DOUBLE. SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO DO SO.
WATCHING HER GAVE ME CHILLS. EVEN NON-GYMNASTS
AND NON-COMPETITIVE ATHLETES CAN APPRECIATE THE
• WE CELEBRATE REMARKABLE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND BELIEVE THAT THEIR
EXAMPLE IS PROOF THAT WE TOO CAN
ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING GREAT, EVEN IF IT ISN’T
QUALIFYING FOR THE OLYMPICS. TO INFLUENCE
PEOPLE IN A POSITIVE WAY, WE MUST LEAD BY
EXAMPLE, LEAD WITH INTENTION AND EXECUTE
  CATCH PEOPLE DOING GOOD

• A POWERFUL WAY TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE IN A POSITIVE

WAY IS TO CATCH PEOPLE DOING GOOD. INSTEAD OF
LOOKING FOR PROBLEMS, LOOK FOR SUCCESSES. LOOK
FOR OFTEN OVERLOOKED, BUT CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
THINGS THAT YOUR PEERS, SUBORDINATES AND
MANAGERS DO THAT MAKE THE WORK MORE EFFECTIVE
AND MORE ENJOYABLE.
• ONCE YOU CATCH PEOPLE DOING GOOD, NAME AND
 7. BE EFFUSIVE WITH PRAISE

• IT DID NOT TAKE ME LONG TO NOTICE A REMARKABLE

TRAIT OF A FORMER BOSS. HE NOT ONLY BEGAN AND
ENDED MEETINGS WITH PRAISE, BUT HE PEPPERED PRAISE
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE MEETING. HE FOUND A WAY TO
CELEBRATE THE UNIQUE ATTRIBUTES AND SKILLS OF HIS
TEAM MEMBERS. HE WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY AND
ACCURATELY ASSESS WHAT PEOPLE WERE DOING WELL
AND THEN LET THEM AND THEIR COLLEAGUES KNOW.
 BE EFFUSIVE WITH PRAISE

• MEETINGS WERE NOT JUST AN OCCASION TO GO

THROUGH A “TO DO” LIST, THEY WERE OPPORTUNITIES TO
CELEBRATE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, NO MATTER HOW
SMALL THEY ARE.
  8. BE KIND RATHER THAN RIGHT

• I AM GOING TO LEVEL WITH YOU; THIS ONE IS TOUGH. IT

IS EASY TO GET CAUGHT UP IN A CYCLE OF PROVING
ONESELF. FOR PEOPLE WHO LACK CONFIDENCE, OR
PEOPLE WHO PRIORITIZE THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS,
BEING RIGHT IS IMPORTANT. THE VALIDATION THAT
COMES WITH BEING PERCEIVED AS “RIGHT” FEEDS ONE’S
EGO. BUT IN THE QUEST TO BE “RIGHT,” WE CAN HURT
OTHER PEOPLE. ONCE WE’VE HURT SOMEONE BY BEING
UNKIND, IT IS MUCH HARDER TO GET THEM TO LISTEN TO
• THE ANTIDOTE TO INFLUENCING OTHERS VIA
BULLYING IS TO PRIORITIZE KINDNESS ABOVE
RIGHTNESS. YOU CAN BE KIND AND STILL STAND
FIRM IN YOUR POSITION. FOR INSTANCE, MANY
PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY NEED OTHERS TO
VALIDATE THEIR EXPERIENCE. IF A PERSON DOES
NOT SEE THE SITUATION YOU EXPERIENCED IN
THE WAY YOU SEE IT, YOU GET UPSET. BUT YOUR
EXPERIENCE IS YOUR EXPERIENCE.
IF YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS GO OUT TO EAT AND YOU GET
FOOD POISONING, YOU DO NOT NEED YOUR FRIENDS TO
AGREE THAT THE FOOD SERVED AT THE RESTAURANT WAS
PROBLEMATIC FOR YOU. YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE OF
GETTING FOOD POISONING IS ALL THE VALIDATION YOU
NEED. THEREFORE, TAKING TIME TO BE RIGHT IS
ESSENTIALLY WASTED AND, IF YOU WERE UNKIND IN
SEEKING VALIDATION FOR YOUR FOOD-POISON
 9. UNDERSTAND A PERSON’S LOGICAL,
EMOTIONAL AND COOPERATIVE NEEDS

• THE CENTER FOR CREATIVE LEADERSHIP HAS ARGUED

THAT THE BEST WAY TO INFLUENCE OTHERS IS TO APPEAL
TO THEIR LOGICAL, EMOTIONAL AND COOPERATIVE
NEEDS. THEIR LOGICAL NEED IS THEIR RATIONAL AND
EDUCATIONAL NEED. THEIR EMOTIONAL NEED IS THE
INFORMATION THAT TOUCHES THEM IN A DEEPLY
PERSONAL MANNER. THE COOPERATIVE NEED IS
UNDERSTANDING THE LEVEL OF COOPERATION VARIOUS
• THE TRICK WITH THIS SYSTEM IS TO UNDERSTAND
THAT DIFFERENT PEOPLE NEED DIFFERENT
THINGS. FOR SOME PEOPLE, A STRONG
EMOTIONAL APPEAL WILL OUTWEIGH LOGICAL
EXPLANATIONS. FOR OTHERS, HAVING AN
OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE WILL OVERRIDE
EMOTIONAL CONNECTION.
• IF YOU KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE, YOU WILL KNOW
WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO BE POSITIVELY
INFLUENCED. IF YOU HAVE LIMITED INFORMATION
ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHOM YOU ARE ATTEMPTING
TO INFLUENCE, YOU WILL BE INEFFECTIVE.
 10. UNDERSTAND YOUR LANE

• IF YOU WANT TO POSITIVELY INFLUENCE OTHERS,

OPERATE FROM YOUR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE.
OPERATE FROM YOUR PLACE OF EXPERTISE.
LEAVE EVERYTHING ELSE TO OTHERS. GONE ARE
THE DAYS WHEN BEING A JACK OF ALL TRADES IS
CELEBRATED.
• MOST PEOPLE APPRECIATE BRANDS THAT
UNDERSTAND THEIR TARGET AUDIENCE AND
THEN DELIVER ON WHAT THAT AUDIENCE WANTS.
WHEN YOU FOCUS ON WHAT YOU ARE UNIQUELY
GIFTED AND QUALIFIED TO DO, AND THEN OFFER
THAT GIFT TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT, YOU ARE
LIKELY MORE EFFECTIVE. THIS EFFECTIVENESS IS
• YOU CANNOT POSITIVELY INFLUENCE OTHERS IF YOU
ARE MORE PREOCCUPIED BY WHAT OTHERS DO WELL
VERSUS WHAT YOU DO WELL.
 FINAL THOUGHTS

• INFLUENCING PEOPLE IS ABOUT CENTERING YOUR

HUMANITY. IF YOU WANT TO INFLUENCE OTHERS
POSITIVELY, FOCUS ON THE WAY YOU COMMUNICATE AND
IMPROVE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOURSELF FIRST.
• IT’S HARD TO INFLUENCE OTHERS IF YOU’RE STILL
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH
YOURSELF.
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 LEADERSHIP AGILITY
• LEADERSHIP AGILITY IS THE ABILITY TO TAKE
EFFECTIVE ACTION IN COMPLEX, RAPIDLY CHANGING
CONDITIONS.
 WHY AGILITY HAS BECOME ESSENTIAL
• THE TERM “AGILITY” WAS FIRST USED IN THE 1990S TO
DESCRIBE MANUFACTURING ORGANIZATIONS THAT
COULD ADAPT QUICKLY TO CHANGING CUSTOMER
NEEDS. BY THE EARLY 2000S, THE CONCEPT OF AGILITY
HAD BROADENED TO MEAN THE ABILITY TO “ANTICIPATE
AND RESPOND TO RAPIDLY CHANGING CONDITIONS” AND
TO “EFFECTIVELY MANAGE COMPLEX, INTERDEPENDENT
RELATIONSHIPS.”
• BECAUSE OF MOUNTING COMPLEXITY AND A
RELENTLESS, ACCELERATING PACE OF CHANGE IN THE
GLOBAL ECONOMY, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT ALL
ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING SERVICE FIRMS,
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AND NON-PROFITS – AND THE
TEAMS WITHIN THEM – NEED TO DEVELOP HIGHER
LEVELS OF AGILITY. OVER THE COURSE OF THIS PAST
DECADE THE AGILE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
• IT STANDS TO REASON THAT AGILE TEAMS AND
ORGANIZATIONS REQUIRE AGILE LEADERS. BUT UNTIL
RECENTLY, LITTLE WAS KNOWN ABOUT WHAT AGILE
LEADERSHIP LOOKS LIKE IN ACTION AND THE
UNDERLYING MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL CAPACITIES IT
REQUIRES. WE INITIATED AN EXTENSIVE, FIVE-YEAR
RESEARCH PROJECT FOCUSED SQUARELY ON THIS
QUESTION. THE RESULTS OF THIS RESEARCH, WHICH
INCLUDED LEARNINGS FROM 25 YEARS OF WORK WITH
LEADERS, IS CAPTURED IN OUR BOOK, LEADERSHIP
AGILITY.
 WHAT DOES LEADERSHIP AGILITY INCLUDE?
• FIRST, LEADERSHIP AGILITY IS NOT A SINGLE COMPETENCY. IT
IS AN INTERCONNECTED SET OF CAPABILITIES THAT
INCLUDES (A) CONTEXT-SETTING AGILITY, HOW LEADERS
SELECT AND FRAME IMPORTANT INITIATIVES;
(B) STAKEHOLDER AGILITY, HOW FULLY LEADERS
UNDERSTAND THE PERSPECTIVES HELD BY DIFFERING
STAKEHOLDERS AND HOW FULLY THEY CREATE GREATER
ALIGNMENT WITH THEM; (C) CREATIVE AGILITY, WHICH IS
NEEDED TO SOLVE COMPLEX, NOVEL PROBLEMS; AND
(D) SELF-LEADERSHIP AGILITY, HOW PROACTIVE LEADERS
ARE IN LEARNING FROM THEIR EXPERIENCE.
• SECOND, TO AGILE LEADERS APPLY THESE FOUR KINDS
OF AGILITY IN THREE KEY ACTION ARENAS: LEADING
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE, LEADING TEAMS, AND
ENGAGING IN PIVOTAL CONVERSATIONS.
• THIRD, THE CAPACITY FOR LEADERSHIP AGILITY
EVOLVES THROUGH FIVE CLEARLY IDENTIFIABLE
LEVELS THAT CORRESPOND TO WELL-ESTABLISHED
STAGES OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: EXPERT,
ACHIEVER, CATALYST, CO-CREATOR, AND SYNERGIST.
 SOME KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGHLY
AGILE LEADERS
• HIGHLY AGILE LEADERS REALIZE THAT WE LIVE IN AN ERA OF
PERMANENT CHANGE, A TURBULENT GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT THAT IS
COMPLEX, UNCERTAIN, AND FIERCELY COMPETITIVE. THEY UNDERSTAND
THAT THESE REALITIES WILL REQUIRE THEM AND THEIR ORGANIZATIONS
TO ADAPT AGAIN AND AGAIN TO CONSTANTLY CHANGING CONDITIONS.
THEY HAVE AN INTENTIONAL, PROACTIVE APPROACH TO CHANGE. THEY
ANTICIPATE EMERGING THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES BY CONTINUALLY
SCANNING THEIR ORGANIZATION’S ENVIRONMENT FOR NEW
DEVELOPMENTS. THEY VIEW THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE WITH FRESH
EYES AND A WILLINGNESS TO RETHINK PAST ASSUMPTIONS.
• AGILE LEADERS ARE CREATIVE THINKERS WITH A DEEP
SENSE OF PURPOSE. THEY ACTIVELY ENGAGE DIVERSE
STAKEHOLDERS, INFLUENCING AND LEARNING FROM
THEM AT THE SAME TIME. THEIR ABILITY TO EXAMINE
SITUATIONS FROM MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES AND TO
“CONNECT THE DOTS” BETWEEN SEEMINGLY DISPARATE
ISSUES ALLOWS THEM TO GENERATE NOVEL STRATEGIC
INSIGHTS. AS A RESULT, THEIR VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE
• AGILE LEADERS HAVE A BROAD REPERTOIRE OF
BEHAVIORS THAT ALLOWS THEM TO RAPIDLY
ADJUST THEIR LEADERSHIP STYLE TO THE
DEMANDS OF ANY GIVEN SITUATION. THEY GIVE
APPROPRIATELY BALANCED ATTENTION TO
SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM PRIORITIES, TO
TOP-DOWN DIRECTION-SETTING AND
MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION, AND TO FOSTERING
INDIVIDUAL
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INITIATIVE AND STRONG TEAMWORK.
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• AGILE LEADERS ARE RESILIENT IN RESPONDING TO THE
DIFFICULTIES AND DISCOMFORTS THAT CHANGE AND
UNCERTAINTY OFTEN BRING. THEY SEEK FEEDBACK FROM
MULTIPLE SOURCES AND USE BOTH MISTAKES AND
SUCCESSES AS FODDER FOR CONTINUAL LEARNING AND
DEVELOPMENT. FINALLY, THEY ARE COMMITTED TO
CREATING AGILE TEAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND TO
HELPING THOSE AROUND THEM BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE