Intelligent Influence

I have been amazed by the many positive comments about the TEDx speech I gave several years ago in Princeton called “ Intelligent Influence .” This talk focused on one of the most important words in the world that, amazingly, is “hidden in plain sight.” The word “ Influence ” is used in conversations virtually every day by millions of people around the world who have not taken the time to understand the meaning and potential of this very powerful concept. I believe that positive strategic influence is the secret to leadership and organizational success in today’s complicated business environment. My research on influence led me to develop a concept called Intelligent Influence ® that is tailor-made for the business (and human interaction) realities of the 21 st century. This unique leadership and strategy framework, which consists of four components, has the potential to change how people interact (especially in the business world). This approach has been so well received t...

There are more than 14,000 public school districts and 70,000 school board members in the United States. Most school board members and administrators try to do everything that they can to improve the quality of education provided to students in their district. They are focused on setting effective policy, approving an appropriate budget and hiring the best superintendent possible. However, some school boards are handicapped by conflict. They suffer from public and private disagreements, constant bickering, holding grudges and arguing frequently. Research suggests that public school boards in conflict ignore many of the needs of the district they are supposed to be leading. Unhealthy school board relationships lead to ineffective policies, mediocre administrative leadership, inadequate teaching and poor student academic performance. School board and administrator conflict comes about because of the inability or reluctance of members to reach an agreement about controversial issues...

Empathy Overview Empathy is one of the most important business skills because it is the foundation of leadership and sales success in today’s diverse world of work. Individuals with the skill of empathy know how to anticipate and meet the needs of co-workers and customers and develop innovative products and services. We define the word “Empathy” as the ability to understand someone else’s feelings, experiences and influences by imagining what it would be like to be in that person’s situation. People who are empathetic have a more refined understanding of the perspectives of employees, customers and clients. They are more engaged in their job, work well with different people and are more successful leaders. Empathy also drives innovation by enabling people with this skill to intuitively identify new ways to meet the needs of others. Need for Empathy Training Some people do not believe that empathy can be taught. However, we discovered that the secret of teaching empathy is...

Most people do not understand the incredible power of positive and negative influence in their lives. Their accent, culture, religion, political views and parenting style are determined by their influences. Their favorite food, sports team, hobbies, movies and musical tastes are rooted in their influences. Their success or failure in life is largely determined by the way they influence others. People clearly “ do what they do, think the way they think and accomplish what they accomplish because of influence .” I wrote the book  Intelligent Influence: The 4 Steps of Highly Successful Leaders and Organizations  to teach readers how to strategically use influence to improve their life and accomplish their goals. My research for this book convinced me that there is a need to create a role play game that would help people develop an appreciation for diversity and understand the power of influence in less than an hour. I therefore created “ The Class Game TM .” We Are Not “...

School districts and nonprofits spend millions of dollars on professional development (PD) for teachers and/or staff. However, they spend very little on PD for the school or nonprofit’s “ Leadership Team ” (the superintendent/executive director and the board). This lack of investment in the education of the Leadership Team often leads to major conflicts between board members and the superintendent/executive director that negatively impacts the quality of the services provided to students/clients. The Board Leadership PD program utilizes the proprietary Intelligent Influence Framework TM to ensure that the Leadership Team works together as effectively as they possibly can. Boards and senior staff should go through this leadership training at least once a year to ensure that they are working together as effectively and efficiently as possible. The Board Leadership PD training is essential because it: 1)      Enhances the Collaboration between the Leader...

The Classroom Management Crisis This is my 20 th year as a public school leader. In that time I have learned that far too many students are struggling academically because their teachers have difficulty with student engagement and classroom management. Unfortunately, this problem is one of the most difficult daily challenges that public school districts are facing around the country. Many teachers have a passion for teaching and an intimate understanding of the mechanics of teaching. They know how to deliver a lesson and manage a class filled with students who are well behaved and focused on learning. However, they struggle when they are faced with the challenge of managing a class filled with students who are having difficulty in school or dealing with personal issues that influence their behavior in class. Teachers and students are frustrated in this situation because there is a classroom communication disconnect. The good news is that this problem can be solved when teacher...