How to be influential
Being influential is having a position where one can be of influence from top-down, for example at the head of an organization or the government.
One tactic is to align to a bigger goal or vision. The difference is not to focus on your or your company’s specific objectives, but to align to the industry’s movement. For example, if your company is focused on health care, one movement may be to focus on opening up health data, which is a larger goal that serves other companies well.
Another tactic is to work with others that have influence. This involves working with competitors, investors, advisors, and customers that are more influential than you. Seek to learn from them, both tactically and what makes them influential.
The third tactic is to speak directly and plainly. When one doesn’t have influence, the only advantage one has is the truth, and the truth that others are unwilling to say.
