In our work my colleagues and I find that one of the biggest challenges business leaders face is how to become more influential. If they were more influential,
they reason, it would be easier to get things done. Everyone would like more power. Yet not everyone is happy with what they perceive to be the cost of getting that power.
As a result, we often see highly competent individuals backing away from opportunities that would be advantageous for both them and their companies.
One senior leader confided recently, “If that’s the kind of behavior that it takes to be successful, then I’m not interested.” The problem is, he was interested in being more
influential. He had a vision for what he wanted to achieve, but he couldn’t see his way clear on how to get there. What he was really saying was, “Is there a way for me to
succeed and not have to compromise my values? Is there a way to advance in this company and still be myself?” The person asking these questions was not just concerned with
advancement, but with fit.
Companies are a lot of things. They are a source of income, a chance to grow, a contributor to society. They are also social systems, governed by written rules and unwritten
values. They are populated, as are all social systems, by people who act on these rules and values in ways that cause others to be included or excluded. This is the way families,
communities, entire societies work. In a company where our values are aligned with others, we feel that we belong. If our values clash, we’re outta there. But what about those
shades of gray? What if it’s not that bad, just not 100%?
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