Do You Know How Much Influence You Have at Work?

June 11, 2019

Do You Know How Much Influence You Have at Work?

The amount of influence people have at work isn’t always determined by their job titles. To gauge your informal power, do a simple audit. Write down the top 10 people who help you get things done, and give each a score from one to 10 based on how much you depend on them. Think broadly about what they offer: career advice, emotional support, access to stakeholders? Next, assign yourself a score from their perspectives. Consider what you offer them and how difficult it would be to replace you. Finally, look for red flags: Do you add value mostly on one team? Do your contacts help you more than you help them? Do most of your contacts work in one function or business unit? If you’re not satisfied with your audit’s results, plan how you’ll improve them. This might mean contributing more across the company or spending more time with stakeholders. The more value you create, the more irreplaceable you’ll become.

Adapted from “How to Figure Out How Much Influence You Have at Work,” by Maxim Sytch