You don’t have to be a CEO, or even a manager, to be influential at the office.
Getting your coworkers to listen to and support your ideas boils down to just three emotional intelligence techniques, says Stanford University lecturer and communication expert Matt Abrahams. They can help you show your peers and bosses that you have strong ideas, form meaningful connections across your workplace, improve your job-related skills and maybe even land you a promotion, he says.
The advice is timely, Abrahams adds: Hybrid and remote work mean most entry- and mid-level Gen Z and millennial employees get less face time with their bosses.
“Careers are very different now … things are more remote and virtual, so you’re not around people as much,” Abrahams tells CNBC Make It. “You really are forging your own way and need to get others to at least support, if not follow, the things you’re trying to do.”
His three recommendations are simple, and can be applied to in-office or remote roles:
Figure out how to be helpful
First: Observe your office’s dynamics. You can usually look online or check with HR to figure out what different teams work on and who reports to which manager.
Then, find a “leverage point” — a way to get noticed within that structure, Abrahams says. “If there are certain tasks people don’t like to do, stepping up to that can give you some access.”
You can volunteer to take notes during meetings, for example, which encourages the other people in the room to direct their attention to you. “They’ll want to make sure you capture things right, and you’ll have an opportunity to ask questions of others,” says Abrahams.
You could get involved with planning office events, or start a Google document that helps keep your team organized. If a single person is running the company’s social media, and you have relevant experience, volunteer to help with posts or produce videos.
“All of a sudden the role you have — a mundane role that many people don’t like — gives you access and…
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