Influence is one of the most important skills a leader can build. It’s what turns ideas into action, vision into momentum, and effort into outcomes. Without it, you can still deliver results, but with it, you multiply them. Influence is what makes people pay attention when you speak, rally behind your direction, and trust your judgment when the stakes are high.
That’s why influence a particularly important skill to have as a leader. It’s not about charisma or being the loudest in the room. It’s about building trust, credibility and genuine connection so that people feel confident working with you, supporting your ideas, and backing the direction you set.
And yet most new leaders aren’t taught how to influence. You step into a leadership role, eager to make an impact, and suddenly you find yourself navigating expectations, guiding people, and driving change without clear guidance on how to get others to follow.
And that’s where the frustration can creep in.
You’ve got ideas, but they don’t seem to land.
You give direction, but the team doesn’t always respond the way you hoped.
You try to drive change, but it feels harder and slower than it should.
You’re in the role of leader, but you don’t always feel like people see you as one.
Sound familiar?
If so, you’re not alone. Influence is one of the most important and most overlooked skills in leadership. The good news is, it’s not something you’re born with. It’s something you can learn, build and strengthen.
Here’s how.
1. Lead by Example
As a new leader, every move you make is under the microscope. People are working out if they can trust you, if your words match your actions, if you’re the kind of leader they want to follow.
That means influence starts with example. If you want people to own their work, own yours. If you want accountability, show accountability. If you want a culture of respect, treat people with it consistently.
Nothing undermines influence faster than inconsistency. And nothing builds it faster than congruence between what you say and what you do.
2. Build Trust Through Transparency
Here’s something many new leaders miss: people don’t expect you to have all the answers. What they want is honesty.
That means being open about the “why” behind your decisions, not just the “what.” It means sharing the challenges as well as the successes. It means admitting when you don’t know, or when you’ve got something wrong and showing how you’ll put it right.
It might feel counterintuitive. You want to prove yourself, so you try to project certainty. But real credibility comes from authenticity. When people see the real you capable, but also human they’re far more likely to trust you. And trust is the foundation of influence.
3. Listen Actively and Empathise
When you’re new in a leadership role, the instinct is often to prove yourself by talking: sharing ideas, giving direction, showing knowledge. But influence isn’t built by speaking first. It’s built by listening first.
Take time to understand what motivates your team, what pressures they feel, and what ambitions they hold. Ask questions. Hold back from jumping in with solutions straight away.
When people feel heard, they’re more open to hearing you. And when you understand their world, you can lead in a way that resonates with them, not just with you.
4. Communicate a Compelling Vision
One of the quickest ways to lose influence is to make leadership only about tasks and to-do lists. People want to know that their work has meaning that it connects to something bigger.
Your job as a leader is to paint that picture. To explain not just what needs to be done, but why it matters. To connect everyday actions to long-term goals.
The more clearly and consistently you articulate that vision, the more energy you’ll generate. Because influence is often less about authority, and more about inspiration.
5. Empower Others
It’s tempting as a new leader to hold tight to control. You want to prove you can deliver, so you keep a close grip on decisions and direction. But ironically, the tighter you hold, the less influence you gain.
Real influence comes from empowerment. From giving people ownership, trusting them with responsibility, and celebrating their contributions. When people feel that you believe in them, they start to believe in you.
Empowerment doesn’t mean stepping back completely. It means setting clear expectations, giving support, and then letting people succeed in their own way.
6. Cultivate Relationships and Networks
Influence doesn’t stop with your team. As a new leader, the way you connect with peers, stakeholders, and senior leaders matters just as much.
That means investing in relationships taking time to understand what others care about, where their pressures lie, and how you can add value. Influence grows when people see you as credible, collaborative, and connected.
The wider your network, the more weight your voice carries. And the stronger those relationships are, the easier it becomes to get support for your ideas when it matters most.
Conclusion
The impact of leadership comes from your ability to influence. Without it, you can feel like you’re pushing against resistance doing the work but not seeing it truly take hold. With it, leadership flows more naturally. Your ideas land. Your team is motivated. Your peers and stakeholders take you seriously.
It’s not something you’re automatically taught when you become a leader. But it is something you can learn, build, and strengthen through daily choices: leading by example, being transparent, listening, sharing vision, empowering others, and building relationships.
When you do that consistently, the shift is unmistakable. You stop feeling like you’re “trying to lead” and start feeling like people genuinely want to follow. And that’s when your leadership and your impact really begins to grow.
