Building Trust with Senior Leaders Through Indirect Influence

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲? Of all the topics people ask me about, executive presence is near the top of the list. The challenge with executive presence is that it’s hard to define. It’s not a checklist you can tick off. It’s more like taste or intuition. Some people develop it early. Others build it over time. More often, it’s a lack of context, coaching, or exposure to what “good” looks like. Here’s what I’ve learned over the years, both from getting it wrong and from watching others get it right. 1. 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 People early in their careers often feel the need to prove they know the details. But executive presence isn’t about detail. It’s about clarity. If your message would sound the same to a peer, your manager, and your CEO, you’re not tailoring it enough. Meet your audience where they are. 2. 𝐔𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Executives care about outcomes, strategy, and alignment. One of my teammates once struggled with this. Brilliant at the work, but too deep in the weeds to communicate its impact. With coaching, she learned to reframe her updates, and her influence grew exponentially. 3. 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 Every meeting has an undercurrent: past dynamics, relationships, history. Navigating this well often requires a trusted guide who can explain what’s going on behind the scenes. 4. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 Just because something is your entire world doesn’t mean others know about it. I’ve had conversations where I assumed someone knew what I was talking about, but they didn't. Context is a gift. Give it freely. 5. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Early in my career, I brought problems to my manager. Now, I appreciate the people who bring potential paths forward. It’s not about having the perfect solution. It’s about showing you’re engaged in solving the problem. 6. 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 Every leader is solving a different set of problems. Step into their shoes. Show how your work connects to what’s top of mind for them. This is how you build alignment and earn trust. 7. 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Years ago, a founder cold emailed me. We didn’t know each other, but we were both Duke alums. That one point of connection turned a cold outreach into a real conversation. 8. 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 Before you walk into a meeting, ask yourself what outcome you’re trying to drive. Wandering conversations erode credibility. Precision matters. So does preparation. 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 Executive presence isn’t about dominating a room or having all the answers. It’s about clarity, connection, and conviction. And like any muscle, it gets stronger with intentional practice.

🎣 “They didn’t even cc me.” This was how Yumi, a senior marketing director, found out her billion-dollar product had been repositioned, without her input. The project she had been leading for 18 months was suddenly reporting into someone else. She didn’t mess up. She wasn’t underperforming. She just wasn’t "there". Not at the executive offsite. Not at the Friday “golf and growth” circle. Not at the CEO’s birthday dinner her male peer casually got invited to. She was busy being excellent. They were busy being bonded. 🍷 When she asked her boss about the change, he was surprised: “You’re usually aligned with the bigger picture, so we assumed it’d be fine.” In Workplace politic-ish: Yumi was predictable. Available. Yet not powerful enough to be consulted. 🔍 What actually happened here? Women are told to build relationships. Men build alliances. Women maintain connections. Men maintain relevance in power circles. It’s not about how many people like you. It’s about how many people speak your name when you’re not in the room. And in most companies, the real decisions - about budget, headcount, succession, are made off-the-clock and off-the-record. 📌 So, how do you stop getting edited out of influence? Try these: 1. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗽.    Not the org chart. The whisper network / shadow organistion.    Who gets invited to early product reviews?    Who influences without title?    Start mapping that!     2. 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲-𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁.    If your name hasn’t been mentioned by 3 different people in senior leadership this month, you are invisible to power, even if you’re a top performer.     3. 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴.    Skip the webinars and female empowerment panels.    Start showing up where strategy happens: QBRs, investor briefings, offsite planning, cross-functional war rooms.     4. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹.    Schedule recurring 1:1s with lateral stakeholders, not to “catch up,” but to co-build. Influence travels faster across than up.     5. 𝗕𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘀.    If you vanished for 2 weeks and no one noticed, you’re not central enough to promote.     🧨 If any of this feels raw, it’s because it is. Brilliant women are being rewritten out of their own stories, not for lack of performance, but for lack of positioning. That’s why Uma, Grace and I created 👊 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿: 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀👊 A course for women who are done watching strategic mediocrity rise while they wait for recognition. It’s not about becoming someone else. It’s about learning the rules that were never designed for us, and playing like you intend to win. 🔗 Get it if you’re ready, link in comment. Or wait until they “assume you’d be aligned,” too.

🎯 The Art of Influencing Without Authority: An HRBP’s Superpower 🎯 As HRBPs, we often find ourselves in a unique position—no direct authority, yet responsible for driving critical changes. How do we make it work? It’s all about influence. Here’s how I’ve learned to master this art: 1️⃣ Build Trust First - Be a consistent and reliable partner. - Deliver on promises, whether it’s resolving issues or providing support. 2️⃣ Speak the Business Language - Tie your suggestions to business outcomes (e.g., “This will improve retention, saving X cost”). - Use data to back your ideas—numbers speak louder than opinions. 3️⃣ Empower Through Collaboration - Involve stakeholders early; co-creation fosters ownership. - Listen actively to align your goals with theirs. 4️⃣ Influence Through Stories - Share real-world examples of success to create impact. - Personalize your approach—what inspires one leader may not resonate with another. 5️⃣ Be the Problem Solver - Approach leaders with solutions, not just problems. - Show how your ideas make their jobs easier or their teams more effective. ✨ Remember: Influence isn’t about control but connection, credibility, and collaboration. 💬 What’s your go-to strategy for influencing without authority? Let’s exchange insights and grow together! #HRBP #Leadership #InfluenceWithoutAuthority #WorkplaceSuccess

Complexity kills action. Especially with senior execs. Early in my career, I said too much. I assumed detail meant I was prepared. But in exec conversations, it often backfires. Senior leaders don’t need all details. They want what matters. Why it matters.  And fast. When I treated executive time like prime time, I quickly added value and became a trusted partner. Here’s the approach I still use today: (It’s how I earn trust in rooms that move fast.) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖.𝗟.𝗘.𝗔.𝗥. 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 (𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩-𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴) 🧠 𝗖 = Clarify what matters now Start with the core issue or opportunity Be direct about what’s on the line 🗞 L = Lead with your recommendation “This is what I’d recommend we do next…”  Frame the why in 1–2 sharp sentences 🎯 𝗘 = Emphasize the takeaway Make the key point easy to repeat  Signal what you want them to remember 👁 𝗔 = Anticipate what they’ll ask Prep the pushbacks before they ask  Think like them, not just like you 🧭 𝗥 = Read the room in real time Watch tone and body language, not just words  Ask: “What questions do you have at this point?” Senior leaders don’t need every answer,  they want clear actionable information. How do you build trust with senior leaders? ♻️ Share this with someone ready to level up their career 🔔 Follow Justin Hills for insights to grow your influence

New managers often expect authority to come with the title. But it rarely works that way. When you move from being an individual contributor to managing others, you quickly realize that formal authority is a limited source of power. In fact, the people who most shape your success, your boss, your peers, even external stakeholders, are usually the very ones you can’t “tell” what to do. This means that being an effective manager is about learning to build trust, credibility, and influence without authority. It is not about leaning on your title. When I advise new managers, I often refer to Linda Hill's research on new managers. To me, it highlights some important lessons: (1) Organizations are inherently political. Politics isn’t necessarily bad. It reflects real differences in priorities, pressures, and perspectives. Your job is to manage those tensions productively, not wish them away. (2) Power comes from more than your role. Yes, authority matters. But credibility, expertise, effort, relationships, and visibility often matter more. (3) Credibility is the glue. People ask: Do you want to do the right thing? Do you know what the right thing is? Can you get it done? Until the answer is “yes,” influence will be elusive. (4) Map your interdependencies. Ask yourself: Whose cooperation do I need? Whose opposition could derail me? Who depends on me? Then invest in those relationships. (5) Step into others’ shoes. Understanding their goals, pressures, and incentives is the foundation of trust and influence. In practice: If you’re a new manager, focus less on asserting authority and more on cultivating credibility and networks of mutual expectation. Your real power lies in navigating interdependencies with empathy, clarity, and consistency. That’s how you move from “manager by title” to leader by influence. You can take this a step further. What I’ve seen in my own work is that the most effective managers go beyond managing politics and relationships: they use them as opportunities to create value. Instead of seeing influence as a way to “get what you need,” they frame it as a way to generate shared wins. This shift from a self-protective stance to a generative one builds stronger trust and accelerates innovation and collaboration across the organization. #collaboration #influence #manager #managing #leading #value #learning #leadership #coaching #advising #innovation

𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗪𝗮𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗧𝗼𝗼 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲 Most people think stakeholder buy-in happens in the boardroom. Or during a big meeting. But here’s the truth: 𝗕𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲. Influence isn’t built when you ask for it. It’s cultivated long before you ever need it. When I became the Chief Warrant Officer for the Cyber Branch, I learned this lesson fast. My success didn’t depend on my expertise or technical skills alone. It depended on understanding the people I needed to influence before I ever asked for their support. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲? Here are five strategies that work every time: 𝟭. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Don’t just ask about work. Learn what drives them as people. What frustrates them? What are they trying to achieve? Build real connections. 𝟮. 𝗣𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲. Watch them in meetings. Do they rely on data? Relationships? Gut instinct? Knowing their decision-making style helps you speak their language. 𝟯. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗶𝗦𝗖. These assessments uncover key insights: communication styles, motivators, stressors. They’re not “soft skills”—they’re power tools. 𝟰. 𝗧𝗮𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲. Build relationships with people they trust. Their team knows what makes them tick—and what sets them off. 𝟱. 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. Don’t wait until you need their support. Be consistent. Add value over time. Influence is built with trust, not transactions. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿? Because without influence, your ideas don’t get traction. Your vision doesn’t move forward. If you want to lead successfully—especially without formal authority—mastering this is non-negotiable. Want to learn how tools like Everything DiSC can help you? DM me—I’ve seen them transform relationships and results for leaders like you. What’s your best tip for earning stakeholder support? Share in the comments—I’m always looking for fresh insights!

Leadership Lesson #11: Being Right Isn’t Leadership—Being Influential Is 1️⃣ Personal Story Early in my leadership journey, I had a moment I’ll never forget: I was in a strategy meeting, armed with data, logic, and a rock-solid plan. And no one moved. No follow-up questions. No alignment. Just nods and quiet resistance. I walked out frustrated, thinking, “Why aren’t they listening? I’m right.” But the real question was: “Why didn’t it land?” That day I learned the hard truth: Leadership isn’t about being right. It’s about being effective. And effectiveness requires influence. If you want buy-in, alignment, action—being correct isn’t enough. You have to connect, communicate, and lead people there with you. ⸻ 2️⃣ Framework: The Influence Equation Here’s the shift I coach leaders through every day: Right Idea × Delivery × Trust = Influence You need: ✔️ The right insight or direction ✔️ The ability to communicate it clearly and convincingly ✔️ The trust equity to carry people with you Missing one of those? You’re just talking at people—not moving them. ⸻ 3️⃣ Client Story One of my clients—an incredibly sharp SVP—kept wondering why her ideas never got picked up, even though she was usually right. Her peers saw her as brilliant—but hard to follow. She’d come in hot, over-explain, and bulldoze with logic. We worked on slowing down, reading the room, inviting discussion before declaring the answer. She started focusing less on being the smartest, and more on being the clearest and most collaborative. And guess what? Suddenly, her ideas were getting adopted. Because now they were heard. ⸻ 4️⃣ Why It Works 🔹 According to Harvard Business Review, trust is 1 of the top 3 predictors of a leader’s ability to influence others—even more than expertise. 🔹 The Maya Angelou principle rings true in leadership: people won’t remember what you said, but they’ll remember how you made them feel. 🔹 Influence is rooted in psychological safety, reputation equity, and relational intelligence—not just knowledge. ⸻ 5️⃣ Your Next Controllable Step Next time you find yourself trying to convince a team or stakeholder: 1. Don’t state the answer. 2. Ask the question: “What outcome are we really solving for?” 3. Connect the dots between YOUR idea and THEIR priorities 4. Then deliver it with clarity, calm, and trust—not just certainty Because leadership isn’t won with facts alone. It’s earned through influence. ⸻ 👉 Follow Jennifer L. DiMotta for bold lessons and zero tolerance for leadership tunnel vision. #LeadershipLesson #ExecutiveLeadership #InfluentialLeadership #StrategicCommunication #LeadershipDevelopment #TrustedLeadership #NextControllableStep #HighPerformanceTeams #LeadingWithInfluence

When coaching professionals who ask, “How do I build trust with senior leadership and create a strong ally network?” my advice always centers on one powerful principle: focus on building genuine trust. First, it’s not just about getting in front of senior leaders; it’s about understanding what matters to them. Show care by learning their priorities, understanding the problems they are working to solve, and being genuinely interested in their vision. This is where trust begins. People often wonder, “How do I even reach them?” Start by showing up. This might mean speaking up during a town hall, even when it feels daunting. Ask a well-thought-out, curious question that shows you’ve done your homework. It might be something simple, but it demonstrates your interest in the issues that matter to them - and that builds respect and trust. If you have expertise, share it. If you don’t, show curiosity. Trust isn’t built overnight, but it starts with showing that you care about what they care about. Remember, networking is more than visibility-it’s building meaningful connections based on trust.

I have had the privilege of mentoring women leaders, and in the past three weeks, two have asked about navigating office politics. While the term may evoke discomfort, office politics is essential for career success. It involves influence, meaningful connections, and ensuring your best ideas have a chance to succeed. It is crucial to remain authentic and true to your values. Influence: As an engineer who transitioned into leadership, I initially believed that hard work alone should advance my career. However, everyone operates within circles of trust and influence. We have probably seen that engineer torn about joining a Women in Tech ERG, but when she sees her peer group in it, she is comfortable to join, knowing that she can trust her peer group. We also see a senior leader sometimes struggling to take a risk on a new tech architecture only to lean into her circle of trust to learn and understand mitigation for the risk and to take that head on. Our trust circles help us reason the choices we make. For example, my team and I once struggled to get buy-in for our ideas by a skip-level leader. By engaging his trusted colleagues beforehand, we secured their support, which facilitated the acceptance of my ideas. Do you see this as office politics? It damn right is and it works. It's important to do the homework to understand these circles of influence that we as humans have and utilize those circles to get your thoughts and ideas across to even the most difficult naysayer. Understanding these circles of influence in organizations and utilizing them could accelerate unlocking value proposition with management in a swift manner. Next week, I will share my notes on building strong connection and making ideas succeed.