Influence Without Authority, 3rd Edition

Appendix AExtended Case Examples and Supplementary Material Available on the Web

To view any of these examples in full, go to http://www.influencewithoutauthority.com. All examples are listed on the right under Cases and Other Materials. These are rich, detailed descriptions, many with analysis, of action on many organizational levels.

The Career of Nettie Seabrooks: Influence against All Odds

As an African American and a woman, Nettie Seabrooks had more than her share of hurdles to leap to acquire influence—especially at General Motors, where her career began. Her remarkable story of gaining influence offers invaluable lessons on the importance of:

• Doing quality work to gain credibility and a positive reputation, which are the entry price for influence. Influence requires more than a technique.
• Cultivating strong relationships.
• Placing the organization's interests first, so you are not seen as self-serving.
• Avoiding self-inflicted traps, such as writing difficult people off, missing learning opportunities, or failing to notice what others want.

Warren Peters Navigates a Complex, Multistage Exchange Process: Working within Organizational Realities

In trying to replace a direct report at his insurance company, Warren Peters ran into conflict with that direct report's more senior manager. Warren had to decide whether to fight for his choice, and once he did, find a way to preserve his relationship while getting the desired result. Warren's story illustrates these crucial principles ...