Learn to Be Influential

While many CEOs and other executives view acquisition and development of the right talent as a marketplace differentiator, some still don’t see learning as a key business strategy enabler.

To the C-suite, the CLO’s role will only remain viable as long as learning executives think and act as strategic leaders, build credibility among their executive peers and sponsor initiatives that build organizational capability, employee competency and measurable performance improvements. To amplify their ability to accomplish these tasks, learning leaders need to enhance their influence skills.

According to Joel Garfinkle, author of Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level, regardless of their current state of influence, the first step to increase it is for CLOs to be aware of specific traits that influential people have developed to a significantly higher degree than others. Garfinkle’s list of five ways to be influential includes having a solid reputation, an enhanced skill set, executive presence, superior likability and the power to persuade.

He said with influence, CLOs can move their organizations forward and change outcomes for the better. They can motivate, arouse interest and complete tasks they and others deem important. Others will depend on them, and they will be seen as difference makers with the courage to make tough and important decisions.

“But influence requires value,” he said. “If you want key stakeholders in the company and business units to see the value in learning, you have to speak the value at meetings. You need to understand how the business works, what’s important to other leaders. Once you understand the needs of other business units, you’ll be able to speak to them, influence them and provide value.”

Understanding the business requires doing some homework before meeting with top contenders. This means framing questions and presenting a business case for any recommendations. To do this, it’s important for learning leaders to understand the organization’s mission, vision, values and strategic priorities. They should understand their implications for the organization, not only from a human capital and learning perspective, but also from a broader business perspective.