The Power Project: How to Build Your Influence in 7 Practical Steps

Read Time: 4 minutes.

Influence is neither magic nor manipulation.

We should treat it like a development project. One we build intentionally and systematically.

In high-performing orgs, we’re often trying to influence strong, Type A people who pride themselves on being the ones to do the influencing. Often by force.

Here’s how to manufacture meaningful influence - step by step - even with the toughest characters.

1. Start by Sizing Up the Person

You can’t influence someone you don’t understand. Before you make a move, do your homework. I break this down in my Manage Up playbook, but the same principles apply whether you’re managing up, across, or diagonally.

• What’s their archetype? Are they a relentless micromanager, a visionary, a data-obsessed operator, or something else?

• What do they care about? What are their goals, pain points, and blind spots?

• How do they like to communicate? Quick texts, long emails, or face-to-face?

• How do they approach new ideas? Optimistic or pessimistic? Champion or critic? Take calculated risk or avoid them at all costs?

This is your scouting report.

The more you know, the more leverage you have. Influence is about meeting people where they are, not where you wish they were.

2. Build Trust Before You Need It

You will be tested, especially by those hardest to influence.

They want to know if you’re reliable, if you can handle pushback, and if you’ll follow through. Trust is built in the small details, not the big ideas.

• Do what you say you will. Every time. If you promise a follow-up, deliver it.

• Mirror their language and energy. If they’re direct, be direct. If they’re data-driven, bring numbers. (I break down mirroring and emotional intelligence in my Negotiation playbook.)

• What their body language for what’s not being said. Strong personalities often test you with silence or challenge.

Trust is the foundation. Without it, nothing else will move the needle.

3. Engineer Early Wins

Early wins build momentum and credibility.

• Find small ways to be useful before you ask for anything. Solve a problem, share a resource, or make an introduction. You may even want be the only person to tell them the truth.

• Don’t try to for a big win in your first meeting. Start small, over-deliver. The law of reciprocity is real. Solve a problem for them before you need something in return.

• Prioritize a high-value, low-friction ask that aligns with their interests. Publicly recognize their expertise or contribution (genuine, not flattery). Find the biggest pain point your team causes this leaders and make it go away.

You want them thinking, “This person makes my life easier.”

4. Communicate for Impact

Busy leaders want clarity, not a novel. Don’t bury the lead. Use my Headline to Punchline method. If you can’t explain your idea in one sentence, you’re not ready to pitch it.

Use data and stories that connect to their priorities. Make your ask about their goals, not just yours. If you’re not sure what matters to them, you haven’t done enough homework.

For more on message synthesis, see my AI-Powered Influence playbook.

5. Anticipate and Address Objections

Don’t argue. Engage. The best way to overcome resistance is to make the other person feel the idea is theirs. Dale Carnegie nailed this in How to Win Friends and Influence People: “Let the other person feel the idea is theirs.”

• Map likely objections in advance. What’s their default “no”?

• Use calibrated questions: “What would need to be true for you to support this?”

• Guide them to your solution, but let them take ownership. If they feel the idea is theirs, they’ll fight for it.

This isn’t about trickery. It’s about respect.

The best influencers know when to lead from the front and when to step aside.

6. Sustain and Scale Your Influence

Influence isn’t a one-and-done event.

It’s a flywheel. Keep your promises and follow up.

Invest in the relationship even when you don’t need something. Turn one advocate into many: share wins, give credit, and build a coalition.

When you help others win, your influence compounds. The goal isn’t just to get your way once. It’s to become the person people want to work with, support, and champion.

7. Review and Iterate

Treat influence like any other project: review, learn, and level up.

• Did you get the outcome you wanted?

• What worked, what didn’t?

• What will you do differently next time?

The best leaders treat influence as a craft, not a personality trait.

They get better with every rep.

What You Missed This Week

Welcome back. If you’re dragging your feet a little, here are our Monday AM posts:

📌 11 Habits of High-Impact Managers (Dave on LI)
📌 Anyone Can Lead (Even Without a Title) (Mar on LI)
📌 Excellence vs Perfection (Dave on X)

And here are our most popular posts last week:

🔥 10 Management Habit That Attract A+ Talent (Dave on LI)
🔥 How to Define: What Excellence Looks Like (Dave on X)
🔥 The Team Energy Audit (Mar on LI)

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Thank you for reading. Appreciate you!

Dave