Melissa Lanier
Melissa Lanier is the Director of Talent Management at GES, where she develops the organization’s leaders and helps senior leaders drive change.
Influence: Too Much or Just Right?
February 7, 2014
Are you an influencer? This is an important question because the world of work has changed. Managers must deal with matrixed organizations, flatter management structures, outsourcing, and virtual teams – sometimes all at once. In this world, the command and-control leadership approach often leads to frustration for both leaders and followers. Leaders are just not prepared to get things done without formal authority.
Personal influence, the action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of another or others, is a key leadership skill – and one that leaders must work to hone as organizations become more complex. I am fortunate that early in my career, I had some sharp mentors who were also excellent influencers. I learned some useful strategies that I am happy to share.
Here are my four favorite:
1. Form coalitions – Multiply your influence by forming a group. Ask your peers to support your ideas, but don’t stop there. The best coalitions are cross-functional.
2. Make an inspirational appeal – Does the group you need to influence share values, beliefs or hopes? If so, the inspiration appeal may be the way to go. For example, if everyone believes that quality is critical, explain how your approach improves quality.
3. Bring in an expert – This could be an internal expert or an external consultant. Ask your expert to back-up your suggested course of action with facts and data.
4. Have the meeting before the meeting – Consulting with others before you announce the “way forward” helps secure their buy-in for a particular course of action. It also gives them a vested interest in the outcome.
Want to find your personal influencing style? Read What’s Your Influencing Style from the Harvard Business Review blog.
What’s worked for you to increase your influence with those you don’t manage directly? How are you planning to better influence your team in 2014? Share your thoughts and opinions below with our readers.
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.
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