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I’ve recently been busy helping a lot of new leaders adapt to their new responsibilities. One of the common themes I keep hearing is the need to get better at leading up the chain of command, or influencing your boss.

That’s why I’m going to explore some tips you can use to practice influencing your boss and increasing your responsibility and value to your organization!

How to influence your boss?

We’ve all heard the phrase leading up the chain of command. I dislike the term, so I prefer to think of it as influencing your boss, but it’s the same as leading up the chain of command. It’s a hard skill to master and sometimes flirts with the line of becoming a brown-noser or kiss-ass. You can earn the influence of your boss through your actions. And that’s exactly what we’re going to explore today.

Short Answer

Without going down too many rabbit holes, here are three tips that will help you have a greater influence:

• Show you know what success looks like. Use your work to make an impact on your team or department. Ensure you’re showing how your skills reflect what your boss expects.

• Align your communication with your boss. Make it so your boss thinks you’re a mind reader. Adapting to your boss’s style is one of the best ways to gain more influence.

• Be a proactive problem solver. Don’t just wait around to be told what to do. Understand what’s expected of you and work to complement your boss’s efforts.

These three tips all work because they show your boss they can trust you and your decisions. Check out the video below to explore these tips in more detail.

Practice

Here are two tips you can use to put the tips above into practice immediately:

• Have regularly scheduled 1:1 meetings with your boss. Use this time to align on communication preferences and understand what problems you can help solve for your boss.

• Focus on what your boss finds annoying and work to solve their problems. Understand how you can support them and make their life easier.

Check out the video below for a more detailed overview of how to implement these ideas!

Long Answer

Before you leave:

Thanks for reading this week! Remember to check out the video, and feel free to reply or comment with any questions. I’m also available for 30-minute chats sporadically throughout the month. Feel free to grab some time and chat with me about leadership. I’d love to help you move further along on your leadership journey!

• Here’s my scheduling link: https://calendly.com/rick-masaframework/leadership-chat

And one more thing before you go: check out The Rundown AI. It never hurts to learn!

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See ya next week!

-Rick