Influencing strategies don't need to be complicated, but they need to be carefully constructed

 

Think about your strategy in terms of the key things you need to influence to achieve your goal. These may be stepping stones of influence — achieve this, and then achieve that. Alternatively, your strategy could be to influence many different things which are independent of each other — getting 8/10 teams backing your proposal may be enough to achieve your goal.

As you think it through, consider all other analysis you have been doing:

• The organisational strategy and political environment.
• How your project/goal fits with other projects and goals.
• The political agendas of the most powerful people around you.
• The scenarios that could unfold over the next 6-12 months.

Then, answer these two questions:

1. What influence needs occur to achieve your goal?
2. What other influence would help your progress?

Then develop simple headlines for the sub-goals you need to deliver.