Influence how decisions get made, even if you're not the most senior person in the room
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Today’s Tip
Influence How Decisions Get Made, Even if You’re Not the Most Senior Person in the Room
You don’t have to be the most senior person in a room to influence how decisions are made. When you have a lot invested in an outcome, you can do some behind-the-scenes work to make things go the way you want — even when the decision is ultimately up to the boss. Start by understanding the final decision-maker’s interests. Ideally, this involves asking lots of open-ended questions, such as “Help me understand…” or “Say more about…” or simply “Why is this important to you?” When you don’t have ready access to the senior person, look to past decisions and statements — such as open memos to employees or shareholders or social media posts — for clues about what matters most to them. You might also consult with their trusted allies and confidantes. Then use that information to make the case for why the option you're advocating for aligns with what they care most about. But don’t neglect other stakeholders; you don’t want to be known as a brown noser, backstabber, or backroom dealer. So, be attentive to the interests of others, and frame your argument in a way that meets their needs as well and puts the team, not just your interests, first.
This tip is adapted from “These Strategies Will Help You Influence How Decisions Get Made<https://hbr.org/2021/11/these-strategies-will-help-you-influence-how-decisions-get-made?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=mtod_actsubs&utm_content=signinnudge,”> by Robert C. Bordone and Daniel Doktori
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Today’s Tip
Influence How Decisions Get Made, Even if You’re Not the Most Senior Person in the Room
You don’t have to be the most senior person in a room to influence how decisions are made. When you have a lot invested in an outcome, you can do some behind-the-scenes work to make things go the way you want — even when the decision is ultimately up to the boss. Start by understanding the final decision-maker’s interests. Ideally, this involves asking lots of open-ended questions, such as “Help me understand…” or “Say more about…” or simply “Why is this important to you?” When you don’t have ready access to the senior person, look to past decisions and statements — such as open memos to employees or shareholders or social media posts — for clues about what matters most to them. You might also consult with their trusted allies and confidantes. Then use that information to make the case for why the option you're advocating for aligns with what they care most about. But don’t neglect other stakeholders; you don’t want to be known as a brown noser, backstabber, or backroom dealer. So, be attentive to the interests of others, and frame your argument in a way that meets their needs as well and puts the team, not just your interests, first.
This tip is adapted from “These Strategies Will Help You Influence How Decisions Get Made<https://hbr.org/2021/11/these-strategies-will-help-you-influence-how-decisions-get-made?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=mtod_actsubs&utm_content=signinnudge,”> by Robert C. Bordone and Daniel Doktori
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Smart business advice never goes out of style. <https://hbr.org/magazine?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=mtod_actsubs&utm_content=signinnudge&utm_term=subben_buyeracq_nsubarticle&utm_content=signinnudge>
The HBR magazine archive houses thousands of past articles — and subscribers have access to them all.
Browse the Magazine Archive <https://hbr.org/magazine?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=mtod_actsubs&utm_content=signinnudge&utm_term=subben_buyeracq_nsubarticle&utm_content=signinnudge>
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