MODERN BUSINESS
Why influence is a
team game
By Michelle Gibbings
T
he respected former CEO of
Intel, Andy Grove, once said:
“Just as you would not permit
a fellow employee to steal a piece
of office equipment, you shouldn’t
let anyone walk away with the time
of his fellow managers.”
In organisations this happens
every day, and it’s made worse for
a leader if their team members are
unable to influence those around
them. The less effective team
26 ModernBusiness
July 2016
members are in communicating,
building constructive relationships
and negotiating outcomes the
more the leader is required to
intervene, remove roadblocks and
negotiate decisions. All of which
consumes time, in an environment
where productivity is already less
than ideal.
A a 2012 McKinsey Global Institute
report found that the average office
worker spends 61% of their working
week writing emails, searching for
information and communicating
internally. While US data, which
is easily extrapolated into the
Australian context, found that
professionals lose approximately
31 hours a month participating in
unproductive meetings.
At the same time, leaders are
expected to deliver outcomes in
a faster timeframe and with less
resources. The end result is a