Influence
Persuading and inspiring others to take action or change behavior
Rypple Surfaces This When...
- A key initiative keeps stalling at the cross-functional level — MeetingHQ summaries show alignment conversations that end without commitment
- Commitment tracking shows dependencies on other teams consistently slipping — you may lack the relationship capital to move work forward without authority
- Coaching session patterns show recurring frustration with stakeholders who "don't get it" — the message isn't landing with the right frame
What to Do Right Now
- →When Rypple flags alignment conversations ending without commitment in your meeting summaries, act on the Communication & Influence coaching to map stakeholder interests and build a stronger case
- →Use the 'Draft Stakeholder Influence Brief' Booster to build a targeted message that connects your ask to what they actually care about
- →Use the 'Prepare Stakeholder Conversation with Objection Handling' Booster to anticipate resistance and plan your responses before you're in the room
- →Try the 'Stakeholder Alignment' Practice Scenario to rehearse winning buy-in from a skeptical executive with competing priorities
Learn
Why It Matters
Managers rarely have direct authority over everything that matters—especially in matrixed organizations. Influence—the ability to shape decisions, rally support, and navigate politics without positional power—is what separates managers who get things done from those who get stuck. HBR research shows that the most effective leaders spend 30-40% of their time on influence activities.
How Rypple Develops This Skill
Rypple Features for Influence
Communication & Influence
- • Draft stakeholder influence brief
- • Prepare stakeholder conversation with objection handling
- • Plan cross-functional influence campaign
Stakeholder Alignment — practice winning buy-in from a skeptical executive with competing priorities
Ready to develop influence?
Rypple's AI leadership platform gives you personalized coaching on influence—woven into your real meetings and workflows.
Try Rypple FreeFrequently Asked Questions
How do I influence people I have no authority over?
Influence without authority starts with understanding what the other person cares about, then connecting your ask to their priorities. Before any influence conversation, ask yourself: 'What does a yes make possible for them?' If you can't answer that, you're not ready to make the ask.
How do I maintain my credibility when trying to influence across the organization?
Deliver what you promise, every time. Cross-functional influence is almost entirely built on reputation—people support your ideas because they trust you'll follow through. When you make commitments in service of an influence campaign, those commitments become your most important work.