Change Leadership Tactics

"I'll just wing it. I'm good on my feet." A Managing Director said this before walking into a $50M budget approval meeting. He walked out empty-handed. After 25+ years watching high potential executives crash and burn in "the room where it happens," I've learned something most people miss: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺. Influence isn't about charm. It's about preparation. Here's an approach you can put into practice today to immediately up your influencing impact. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: 𝟭. 𝗠𝗮𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 (𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗿𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘁) • Who really makes the decision? (Hint: Not always who you think) • What keeps them up at night? • Who do they trust for input? One client discovered the "junior" person in the room was the CEO's former chief of staff. Guess whose opinion mattered most? 𝟮. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝘁 The worst time to make allies? When you need them. Smart executives plant seeds months before the harvest: • Coffee with the skeptics • Informal temperature checks • Strategic information sharing By the time you're pitching, you already know who's with you. 𝟯. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 Match your message to their metrics: • Revenue-focused? Show growth • Cost-conscious? Show savings • Risk-averse? Show mitigation Same idea. Different frame. Completely different outcome. 𝟰. 𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 The meeting isn't where you sell. It's where you confirm. If you're introducing new information in the room, you've already lost. The best executives I know follow this rule: 𝗡𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿. That person who always seems to "get lucky" with approvals? They're not lucky. They're doing 10x the advance work you are. While you're perfecting your slides, they're having strategic hallway conversations. While you're rehearsing your pitch, they're addressing objections before they're raised. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲: Your ability to influence has very little to do with your charisma in the moment. It has everything to do with the relationships you've built, the intelligence you've gathered, and the groundwork you've laid. Stop counting on spontaneous charm. Start investing in strategic preparation. Because in the C-suite, there are no successful surprise attacks. 🎯 When was the last time you walked into a crucial conversation truly prepared—not just with data, but with deep insight into every person in that room? Be honest. Your next promotion might depend on it. ------------ ♻️ Share with someone who needs to stop winging it and start winning it ➕ Follow Courtney Intersimone for more truth about what really drives executive success

Consider Promoting vs Restraining Forces When Persuading. When attempting to change a behavior or attitude, you must consider the action forces that promote and inhibit the change you are pursuing. Most persuasion efforts focus on promoting forces by explaining why you should make the change being suggested: Eat this broccoli because it will make you strong. Invest in this company so you can make great future returns. Drive this car so you can impress a prospective romantic partner. Promoting forces represent the benefits, incentives, or avoided negative outcomes of enacting the change. Most advertising promotes change. However, promoting forces are not always enough to effect change. You must consider the inhibiting or restraining forces that prevent someone from changing. In the broccoli battles I had, my kids understood very clearly the benefits of eating their greens and they were even excited by the elaborate rewards I concocted (e.g., each bite of broccoli translated to two bites of ice cream). However, they could not get beyond the texture and taste. These visceral responses prevented them from consuming the broccoli. With a little culinary cover up (e.g., dipping sauces and ice cream sprinkles), I was able to remove the restraining forces and achieve victory. Failing to address inhibitory forces can actually decrease the likelihood of behavior change. People can get very frustrated if they desire the change you are promoting but can’t get beyond the forces restraining the behavior. For example, consider a typical campaign to get sedentary people to exercise more. The promoting arguments are clear and desirable – greater health, more energy, etc. However, the lack of time and potential pain that comes with new exercise regimens can prevent people from starting. People bombarded solely with promoting messages might begin to resent those trying to help them be healthy since they are unable or unwilling to exercise. A more complete and effective campaign would focus not only on the benefits of exercise, but one developing less strenuous and less time consuming workouts.

What do you do, as a leader, when you see that your team has more potential but they are too damn comfortable to try any harder? 😩 It's frustrating...you want them to do better... not just to get results, but for their own growth and satisfaction!! And maybe you made them "comfortable" in the first place so it's partly on you 🙈 As a leader, you know it's important to build great working relationships, earn the trust of the team and at the same time influence them to change and improve the way they work. But how do you actually achieve this seemingly conflicting task ? 💡 The simple answer is strategic influence. It's not about forcing your team to do what you want but about guiding and inspiring them to see what they could achieve. This could mean setting up situations where they can see the benefits of pushing harder themselves or connecting their day-to-day work to the bigger picture in a way that lights up their motivation. 🔯 The first rule of Strategic Influence is "𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥". Start showing the team what works well for you. Not in a "do as I say" way but in a "here's a cool trick" way". For example, show them productivity hacks and how they can make tasks easier, better and faster. Maybe they will want to try it out for themselves!! 🔯 The second rule of Strategic Influence is "𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐟𝐟" Imagine one of your team member tries something new based on what you showed them, and it kind of works. You recognize their efforts, celebrating even the small win. This makes everyone feel good and shows that trying new things, even if not perfect, is worth it. 🔯 The third rule of Strategic Influence is "𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝" Showing people your tips and tricks is not enough. The long-term strategy must involve asking the team for their ideas! By getting them involved, you're saying, "I value your thoughts." When people feel heard, they're more likely to get on board with changes. 🔯 The fourth rule of Strategic Influence is "𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐭𝐬" You help them see how changing and improving can lead to less stress and more results. You're drawing a clear line between the effort and the reward, making it easier for them to see why it's worth it. 🔯 The fifth rule of Strategic Influence is "𝐁𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦" When someone struggles with a new technique, you're right there, offering tips and encouragement, not criticism. Your empathy shows that you're all in this together, and you're there to support them, not just push them. 🚀 By doing all this, you're not just influencing your team to change; you're building a bond based on trust, respect, and mutual goals. It's about guiding them to want to improve, not because they have to but because they see the value and excitement in it. This way, the team grows stronger, not just in how they operate, but in their trust and respect for you and each other.

What if your greatest leadership skill isn’t on your resume?   The World Economic Forum has named “social influence” as one of the skills of the future.   For the first time, influence is publicly acknowledged not as a side effect of leadership but as a core competency in its own right. Not charisma. Not visibility. Influence. Many confuse social influence with being an influencer.   Social influence is a relational skill. It’s about shaping perspectives and decisions through trust, presence, and credibility. Socially influential professionals drive alignment, clarity, and action, often without formal authority. Influencers drive consumption.   Social influence isn’t about being persuasive. It’s about being perceived as worth listening to over time, in context, and across difference.   That takes three things: 1. Relevance – Not just knowing your stuff but applying it in ways that resonate across functions and generations. 2. Relational capital – The quality of your reputation when you're not in the room. 3. Restraint – The power to know when not to speak and let your presence do the work.   In simpler terms: – Speaking up with clarity when others hesitate. – Listening with such depth that others feel seen. – Showing consistency, integrity, and generosity even when no one’s watching.   Ironically, real influence tends to be invisible while it’s happening. It’s the colleague who quietly shifts the room's direction. The junior team member everyone watches for cues. The advisor whose words land even in silence.   WEF is right to spotlight social influence. As organizations flatten, hierarchies dissolve, and complexity rises, the ability to influence without authority will no longer be optional; it will be essential. The future will be shaped not just by those with positional power, but by those who know how to move people ethically, quietly, and effectively.   In a recent Forbes article I described influence as the power that eventually wears down even the most rigid structures of positional authority. It seeps through organizational layers, reshapes beliefs, and earns voluntary followership. The bridge metaphor highlights a critical shift that while authority might get compliance, influence earns commitment. When leaders lean too heavily on power alone, they often face quiet resistance. But when they cultivate influence through trust, presence, and values, they move people without coercion. In the long run, influence doesn’t supplement authority. It outlasts it.    

Does your role involve responsibilities without requisite authority? How often have you had to influence stakeholders? Influencing skills repeatedly come up in my coaching conversations with clients. Leaders face the challenge of driving change when they don’t have direct control. The struggle can come from a common misconception: You may think Influence is about persuasion when, in reality, it’s more about perception. You focus on crafting the perfect argument, assuming logic will prevail, whereas Influence is more about how the other person experiences your ideas. If they resonate, they will lean in and want to know more. However, even the most innovative idea will face resistance if they feel pushed, dismissed, or threatened. Last year, I coached a CXO struggling with this challenge. He was passionate about a project and wanted it rolled out fast, but stakeholders pushed back, insisting the pace of change would disrupt business and create confusion. Instead of debating, he met with each stakeholder, heard their concerns, and understood their perspectives. Using insights from those conversations, he modified his plan, reframed his ideas in their language, and showed how it solved their pain points rather than disrupting them. Finally, he started small and offered them a pilot version of the project instead of a full rollout. Over time, as they saw the results come in, one by one, they acknowledged the benefits and became active advocates. To get through, begin by making the stakeholders feel heard and understood. Here are three ways you can do that: ▷ Get curious about their resistance. Fear of change? Loss of control? Competing priorities? ▷ Speak their language. People don’t change for your reasons; they will change for theirs. Show them how they win. ▷ Make it safe to say yes. Big changes trigger big resistance. Small wins build momentum. People trust and respect you as they feel heard. When you know how to position ideas effectively, you don’t have to rely on authority and can drive change from any seat at the table. Earlier in the post, I said that you may think Influence is about persuasion when it’s more about perception. Another way to look at this is that Influence is about positioning. The less the stakeholders feel pushed, the more they lean in. What are your strategies for influencing when you have no authority? #InfluencingSkills #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching

Change rarely fails because people dislike it. It fails because leaders mistake compliance for commitment. Real transformation isn’t driven by hierarchy, it’s built through influence — the quiet work of enrolling others before the formal plan is even written. John Kotter called this a “guiding coalition,” but what that really means is earning trust from the people whose informal authority moves the system. Titles matter less than credibility. Influence is built when others believe you see what they see, care about what they care about, and can help them make sense of what comes next. In the video below, I talk about how to build that kind of coalition — not by selecting people from an org chart, but by spotting where energy already lives in the organisation and aligning it with purpose. Change succeeds when people feel they own the story, not when they’re asked to follow someone else’s script. What’s one example you’ve seen of influence making or breaking a change effort?

One thing I’ve learned from coaching leaders — and from being alive for 53 years — is that plans rarely go as planned. The timeline shifts. A key player leaves. Priorities pivot. And how you respond makes all the difference—to your results, your relationships, and your resilience. Flexibility is about showing up—curious, calm, and ready to shift when needed. The most successful professionals I know build their mental and emotional flexibility like they would their physical flexibility. Want to strengthen yours? Try this: 1. Shake up your routine on purpose. New coffee shop. Different order of tasks. Eat breakfast before checking your email. (You can do it — I believe in you!) Just to stay limber. 2. When change hits, name your emotion before jumping into action (“I’m annoyed—and I’ve got this”). 3. Keep “Plan B” thinking on deck. Ask yourself: “If this doesn’t go as expected, then what?” 4. Don’t do it alone. A quick gut-check with a trusted colleague can help you reset faster and move forward smarter. 5. After the dust settles, ask: What did I learn? What would I do differently next time? What am I proud of? Plans may change. No, plans WILL change. You don’t have to fall apart with them. #resilience #emotionalintelligence #changemanagement

Change efforts often fail because they are driven by selling rather than compelling. Selling induces decisions. Compelling alters beliefs, and beliefs drive behavior long after decisions fade. I've been thinking a lot about this lately, and dived into the rich literature on belief formation and perseverance. Once beliefs are formed, they are psychologically resilient (even in the face of clear disconfirming evidence) because people build internal explanations that continue to support them. Beliefs change not when people are beaten by facts, but when they feel safe enough to rethink the explanations that make those beliefs meaningful. So, how do you compel people to change their minds about something? Three ideas: 1. Create safety before challenge People don’t rethink beliefs while defending their identity. Affirm intent, competence, and shared goals first. Lower psychological threat before introducing cognitive friction. Curiosity opens minds faster than correctness. 2. Work on explanations, not positions Beliefs persist because the explanations behind them persist. Don’t argue conclusions. Explore how the belief works, when it breaks, and what it struggles to explain. Insight happens when people discover cracks themselves. 3. Let people author the new belief Belief change sticks when people build the alternative. Co-create a better explanation. Run small experiments. Replace the old story with one that explains reality more clearly and feels safe to adopt. In practice, compelling change means moving conversations up and to the right: Lower the costs of being wrong, and shift focus of the discussion from conclusions to explanations. That’s where beliefs transform. If you want people to change their minds, rather than selling better answers consider helping them outgrow the explanations that once made the old ones feel true. #change #learning #beliefs #leadership #growth #reflection #insights #compelling #selling #influence

Strategic Leadership- Are today’s leaders holding back tomorrow’s strategy? Over the last 30 years, business strategy has undergone a massive shift: a) From control and consistency to agility and adaptability b) From product or cost advantage to ecosystem-driven value creation c) From hierarchy and predictability to distributed, fast-moving complexity And let’s be fair, leadership has also evolved. We’ve moved from command-and-control to collaboration, from top-down authority to empathetic influence. But the real challenge is, everything else is evolving much faster. Business environments are shifting by the quarter, Customer behaviours are reshaped by platforms. AI, automation, ecosystems, and agile operating models have rewritten the rules of execution. And across industries while few are leading, rest are forced to reinvent themselves. ·      IT is evolving from packaged software to AI-led platforms. ·      Manufacturing is embracing smart factories and sustainability ·      Retail is becaming omnichannel and AI-personalized ·      Healthcare is being redefined from hospital-first to remote care & digital ecosystems. But amidst all this evolution, leadership has often lagged behind. Too many organizations are running next-gen businesses with last-gen mindsets. Leaders aren’t stuck — but many are struggling to keep pace. ·      They respond with yesterday’s tactics to today’s complexity. ·      They plan with control when what’s needed is co-creation. ·      They lead people, but often fail to evolve the systems, mindsets, and capabilities those people operate in. Strategic leadership today demands a new muscle. We need leaders who: - Evolve faster than their environment. - Build adaptable, empowered, purpose-led cultures. - Understand & drive value systems across functions. - Enable their people to lead, not just follow. And here’s how functional leaders must evolve alongside: - HR to shift from admin-heavy to experience-first. - IT to move to tech-enabled business orchestration. - Sales & Marketing from funnel-focused to buyer & community led. - Finance from controling budgets to enabling strategic investments & foresight. Leaders are the real catalysts to envision, inpsire & empower teams to drive growth, change & transformation. Therefore having evolved leaders with foresight will certainly be a competitive advantage. So, here’s a question for every boardroom, founder, and CXO team to introspect-   Is your leadership evolving as fast as your business needs to? Or Are you trying to lead tomorrow’s business with yesterday’s mindset? #leadership #mindset #businessgrowth

Most leadership teams think in quarters. Futurist leaders think in cones. I'll explain how: This framework developed by futurist Amy Webb and published by Harvard Business Review urges leaders to ditch linear planning and instead adopt a cone of uncertainty that charts actions based on certainty, not just time. Because in today’s volatile, AI-accelerated, geopolitically tense world… You don’t just need a plan. You need a paradigm shift. Here’s what most organizations do: They obsess over 1-year targets and OKRs that make sense in a spreadsheet but collapse under systemic shocks: pandemics, climate disruptions, AI takeovers, or global talent shifts. They define success by what fits neatly into Q1–Q4. But strategic leaders, especially those building for the next decade: ask bigger, braver questions: -What future are we actually designing for? -What systems will break? Which will evolve? -Where will our industry no longer exist? The “Cone” Model in Action: > Tactics (1–2 years): This is your comfort zone driven by current data, financial certainty, and market feedback. This is where most companies feel confident. But it’s also where they get stuck. Leaders here ask: “What can we optimize?” > Strategy (2–5 years): This is where assumptions begin to stretch. Customer behaviors change. Talent expectations evolve. Competitors emerge from unexpected domains. Strategic leaders ask: “What plays are we making to stay ahead — not just survive?” > Vision (5–10 years): This is the clarity-deficit zone- less data, more imagination. It’s also where iconic companies start differentiating. Think: Microsoft betting on cloud in 2010. Or Tesla building an ecosystem, not just a car. Visionary leaders ask: “What could radically shift in our space — and how do we become the catalyst?” > Systems-Level Evolution (10+ years): This isn’t about your product. It’s about the world your product will operate in. Tech, policy, ethics, climate, social dynamics: all shift the ground you’ll one day stand on. Futurists ask: “What role do we want to play in shaping the future, not just reacting to it?” Best-in-class companies scenario-plan not just for risk, but for opportunity. They develop leadership that can think across the cone, not just in the next 12 months. They invest in foresigh, not just analytics. According to Deloitte, only 17% of leaders feel confident in their organization’s long-term foresight capabilities. That’s not a stat. That’s a warning. So if you're a CEO, CHRO, or senior exec, ask yourself: ❌ Are we optimizing the present… ✅ Or are we architecting the future? The future will not wait for your 3-year plan to catch up. 👥 As an executive coach and advisor, I help senior leaders build systems thinking, cultivate futurist mindsets, and align vision with execution, across the cone. #StrategicForesight #FutureThinking #ExecutiveCoaching #FuturistStrategy