Intentional Influence

Many leaders know the feeling: we’ve got a vision, a plan, and the authority to make it happen. But somewhere between the big idea and the day-to-day work, things stall. Resistance creeps in. Momentum fades. Why? Because at times, we don’t see who or how our culture is being shaped behind the scenes.

Influence––not authority––is what actually moves people.

An organization’s culture is built through the invisible professional networks of relationships, trust, and influence. These networks are often led by people who don’t necessarily have leadership titles; rather, they are colleagues who hold credibility among their peers. This book invites leaders to return to the joy of their work that is found in leading through a framework for creating Intentional Influence–a cascading model that creates ripple effects, beginning with Leading Oneself to Leading Others and expanding to Leading Teams and Leading the Organization.

Intentional Influence introduces the powerful and practical practice of Cultural Mapping. You’ll learn how to map the relational connections inside your organization, identify committed members, address resistance, and strategically build capacity to support cultural commitments and the implementation of initiatives. The result? Not just short-term compliance, but a culture built upon commitment. Leading through this framework offers leaders an inspiring blueprint for creating an organizational culture where commitment thrives. This framework works for schools, businesses, and nonprofits by intentionally harnessing the cascades of cultural influence.