Cultivating Allies

If we want to influence others to agree to our proposals, we need allies. Cultivating allies is a long-term action. We cannot expect others to support us if we suddenly put forward ideas that seem to come out of left field.

In a thoughtful manner, identify colleagues who are likely to be interested in your concepts. Perhaps they have goals similar to yours. Possibly their work precedes or follows yours in a process. Maybe they are new to your management group and are interested in establishing their own allies.

Create a simple communications plan that you can sustain over many months, targeted at your potential allies. Example actions are scheduling regular meetings, sharing in a blog, providing information, and consulting in advance of corporate meetings. Be sure of the communication objectives before you discuss the plan with your potential allies.

Then do discuss your plan. You need not put the plan to them as a formal action. A more friendly approach may be more appropriate. Suggest a few meetings to start with, being clear of what both of you can expect from the interaction. Design a simple blog, then show it to your colleague and discuss the possible benefits. Incorporate their suggestions.

The objective of cultivating allies to let your ideas be modified by others, so you have credibility, and to modify the ideas of your colleagues, so they help you accomplish your own goals.