Influencing Up is truly a revelation. I found Chapter 11, however, most alluring. Titled 'What Do Powerful people Care About', this chapter is a razor-sharp introduction to dealing with powerful stakeholders and possibly the Big Cheese him or herself. The key conclusion, and overriding objective, is absolutely clear: Be Prepared!
So below, I summarise what I gained from Cohen and Bradford's precis into accessing, and delivering for powerful stakeholders in pursuit of mutual business pay-off.
Be Authentic
The previous sentence contains the key ingredient - business pay-off. By separating emotion (unless performing a sales pitch), junior partners may simultaneously alert senrior managers to business opportunities or threats and develop horizontal as well as vertical partnerships.
Nevertheless, the authors are equally clear: Be aware who you are and where you sit. As Chapter 11 states, 'Where you sit' shapes what you see...
What Matters to Powerful People?
As a general proposition, the further the distance between junior and (potential) senior partners the more difficult is access and persuasion. At the same time, senior managers frequently require, and lack, time-critical insight - qualititative or, in some cases, quantitative - into daily operations and customer relations.
As a helpful junior employee, your mission is to provide that information, tactfully.
Common to other stakeholders, the junior employee should ask: What are my senior manager's interests and concerns? Allowing, of course, for the wider perspective these encompass.
Hence, aspiring junior partners ought to examine:
*senior managers' public profile
*their unique vision for the organisation
*strategic and operational concerns
*any cost issues
*regulatory hurdles
*time constraints
*the potential isolation in their role
*their relationship with media and external stakeholders
*pressures from the Board or investors
*their innovation pipeline
*thoughts about future capacity for organisation to grow
Do Your Homework!
Although it is counterproductive to delay all action in addressing senior stakeholders, it is wise, Cohen and Bradford contend, for junior partners to do as much homework ahead of time.
The primary rule:
Lay out your assumptions and succintly state your case.
In order to accomplish this task, present to senior stakeholders with your conclusions and implications.
- Know your senior manager's "style". In other words, does he or she prefer to receive quantitative data or written reasoning? Is your boss's boss likely to be preoccupied with risk, or eagerly searching for business reward?
- What is your senior manager's ecosystem and where do you fit in?
And, finally..
Deliver. Indeed, over-deliver. In so doing, one builds creidibility and trust with those more senior in the organisation in the process of achieving common organisational goals.
Along the way, moreover, aspiring junior partners should proactively seek out credible allies with high visibility to modify and strengthen their business proposals with a view to fruitful interaction..
Oh, and know when to back off!
...
Stay strong, keep cool, but don't wing it.... :)
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