The P.O.S.H. Leadership Curriculum
Learning Objectives
By the end of this module, you will be able to map the informal networks of power and influence in your organisation, identify the champions and blockers who will determine the success or failure of your initiative, build relationships with key stakeholders before you need them, align your proposal with the hidden interests of those who matter, and execute a campaign of strategic influence that does not rely on formal authority.
The Org Chart Is a Lie
Let me say that again. The org chart is a lie. It tells you who reports to whom, but it does not tell you who actually matters. It shows boxes and lines, clean and rational, as if organisations were machines designed by engineers. But organisations are not machines. They are jungles. And the official map of the jungle is almost useless for navigating the real terrain.
This is the single most important lesson about strategic influence, and it is the lesson that Kwame learned the hard way.
Kwame was a regional manager at a microfinance institution in Accra. He had spent six months developing a plan to digitise the loan approval process. The current paper‑based system took three weeks per application, and customers were fleeing to competitors. His digitisation plan would cut approval time to three days, reduce errors by an estimated seventy percent, and free up his staff to do actual customer work instead of pushing paper. The numbers were solid. The return on investment was clear. The idea was excellent.
When he presented his plan to the executive committee, it died. Not because anyone voted against it. Not because anyone raised a legitimate objection. It died the way most good ideas die in organisations: with polite nods, vague promises to “look into it further,” and then silence. The meeting moved on, and Kwame’s plan was never mentioned again.
He walked out confused and humiliated. He had followed the official process. He had submitted his proposal through the proper channels. He had the data, the analysis, the projections. And still, nothing.
That night, he called his uncle, a retired chief executive who had spent forty years navigating the politics of large organisations. His uncle laughed, not cruelly, but with the recognition of a familiar pattern.
“You followed the org chart,” his uncle said. “That is your mistake. The org chart tells you who has titles. It does not tell you who has influence. You presented your idea to the people with titles. You should have presented it to the people with influence.”
Kwame did not understand the difference, so his uncle explained. The people with titles sit in corner offices. They have formal authority. They can say yes or no. But the people with influence are everywhere else. They are the senior administrator who has worked at the company for twenty years and knows where every body is buried. They are the IT manager who can make a project succeed or fail through sheer enthusiasm or quiet obstruction. They are the executive assistant who controls access to the CEO. They are the trusted advisor whose opinion the boss secretly trusts more than anyone else’s. These people have no formal authority, but they have something more valuable: networks, relationships, and the ability to make things happen or stop them cold.
Kwame had presented to the people with titles. He had ignored the people with influence. And the people with influence had killed his idea without ever saying a word against it.
He went back to work the next day with a different approach. He spent two weeks doing nothing but listening and mapping. He identified everyone who could affect the success or failure of his digitisation project, not just the people on the org chart. He talked to Adjoa, the head of IT, who had been at the company for twelve years and had seen three previous digitisation attempts fail because of poor planning. He talked to Mensah, the head of risk, who was terrified of anything that might expose the institution to regulatory trouble. He talked to Kojo, the executive assistant to the COO, who knew everything that happened in the building before it happened.
Kwame did not pitch his idea to any of them. He asked questions. He listened. He learned what they cared about, what they feared, and what they needed. Adjoa cared about not being blamed for another failed IT project. Mensah cared about regulatory compliance above all else. Kojo cared about being seen as someone who could spot problems before they became crises.
Then Kwame went back to his plan and redesigned it. He added a detailed risk assessment for Mensah, showing exactly how the digitised system would exceed regulatory standards. He built a phased implementation plan for Adjoa, starting with a small pilot that would not overwhelm her team or expose her to criticism. He asked Kojo for his opinion on the revised plan, and when Kojo offered a suggestion, Kwame incorporated it publicly and gave him credit.
By the time Kwame brought his plan back to the executive committee, he had already done the work of influence. Mensah had spoken to the CEO about how thorough the risk assessment was. Adjoa had confirmed that her team could support the pilot. Kojo had mentioned to the COO that Kwame was “one of the few managers who actually listens.”
The plan passed unanimously. It was implemented on time and under budget. And Kwame learned a lesson that no MBA programme had ever taught him: in organisations, the people with titles control the vote, but the people with influence control the outcome. If you want to change anything, you must win over both.
What Strategic Influence Actually Is
Strategic influence is the ability to understand and navigate the complex web of relationships, interests, and power dynamics that exist in every organisation. It is not manipulation, and it is not politics in the cynical sense of backroom deals and favours traded for favours. Strategic influence is the disciplined practice of mapping the informal organisation, understanding what drives the people who matter, and building relationships of trust and mutual benefit before you need them.
Most managers operate as if the org chart were the territory. They assume that if they follow the chain of command, submit the right forms, and present the right data, their good ideas will naturally rise to the top. This assumption is wrong because organisations are not machines. They are living systems of human beings with competing interests, unspoken fears, and hidden loyalties. The manager who relies only on formal authority is like a sailor who navigates only by the official map and ignores the wind, the current, and the clouds. The official map is useful, but it will not tell you where the storm is gathering or which channel will carry you safely to harbour.
Strategic influence is the skill of reading the wind and the current. It is the ability to see the organisation as it actually is, not as the organigram says it should be. And it is the capacity to move through that real organisation with purpose, integrity, and effectiveness.
In the language of my master’s thesis at HSE University, strategic influence is not a “nice to have” soft skill. It is a structural component of effective leadership. Without it, your technical competence is irrelevant because your ideas will never see the light of day. With it, you can lead from wherever you sit, regardless of your title.
The Psychology of Influence and Networks
The research on organisational influence has moved far beyond simple models of persuasion. Let me walk you through the most important findings.
Political Skill. Ferris and his colleagues developed the concept of political skill, which they define as the ability to understand others at work and to use that knowledge to influence them to act in ways that enhance personal and organisational objectives. Political skill has four dimensions: social astuteness (the ability to read people and situations accurately), interpersonal influence (the ability to adapt behaviour to bring out the best in others), networking ability (the talent for developing diverse and beneficial relationships), and apparent sincerity (the quality of appearing authentic and genuine). Research shows that political skill predicts job performance and leadership effectiveness beyond general mental ability and personality. Politically skilled leaders are more successful at implementing change, building coalitions, and advancing their agendas without triggering resistance.
Structural Holes. Ronald Burt, a sociologist at the University of Chicago, introduced the concept of structural holes. In any network, there are gaps between groups that do not communicate directly. A person who bridges a structural hole, who connects two groups that would otherwise not be connected, has disproportionate power. They control the flow of information. They see opportunities that others miss. They can broker agreements between parties who have no other channel of communication. Burt’s research showed that managers who fill structural holes are more likely to get good ideas, have those ideas recognised, and be promoted. Strategic influence, therefore, is partly about network architecture. Where are the gaps in your organisation? Who is disconnected from whom? Can you be the bridge?
The Power of Centrality. Social network analysis has identified several positions of power within any network. Centrality means being connected to many others. Betweenness means being the only connection between two clusters. Closeness means being able to reach everyone in few steps. Each position confers a different kind of influence. The manager who is central knows everything that is happening. The manager who has betweenness can control the flow of information between departments. The manager who is close to everyone can mobilise action quickly. The first step in strategic influence is to understand where you sit in the network and where the people you need to influence sit.
Reciprocity and Exchange. Cialdini’s principle of reciprocity is well known, but its application to organisational networks is often misunderstood. Reciprocity is not about keeping score. It is about creating a culture of exchange. When you help someone without expecting immediate return, you generate goodwill. That goodwill is a form of social capital that you can draw upon later. The most influential people in organisations are not the ones who do the most favours. They are the ones who have built the most trust.
The Robert Greene Warning. There is a dark side to this research, and it is important to name it. Some writers, like Robert Greene in “The 48 Laws of Power,” treat influence as a zero‑sum game of manipulation and deception. That is not what this module teaches. Strategic influence is not about using people. It is about understanding them. It is not about lying. It is about listening. The most influential leaders are not the most cunning. They are the most empathetic. They see what others need, and they help provide it. That is not manipulation. That is service.
The Business Case for Strategic Influence
If you are still thinking that strategic influence is optional, let me give you the numbers.
The Cost of Ignoring the Informal Network. Research on organisational change consistently finds that 70 to 80 percent of change initiatives fail. The most common reason is not technical failure. It is employee resistance and lack of buy‑in from key stakeholders. Leaders who rely only on formal authority to drive change are setting themselves up for failure. Leaders who map the informal network, identify champions, and build coalitions before launching their initiative are three times more likely to succeed.
The Speed of Information. In most organisations, information travels faster through informal networks than through formal channels. The grapevine is not a distraction. It is the primary communication system. Leaders who understand the informal network can use it to disseminate information, gather feedback, and build momentum. Leaders who ignore it are always the last to know what is really happening.
The Return on Relationship. A study of executive time allocation found that the most successful leaders spend significantly more time on relationship building than their less successful peers. They are not “networking” in the superficial sense of collecting business cards. They are having genuine conversations with people across the organisation. They are learning about hopes, fears, and hidden agendas. This investment of time pays dividends when they need to mobilise support for a major initiative.
The Ghanaian Context. In my master’s thesis, I documented that the informal sector in Ghana employs nearly 80 percent of the workforce. In that world, formal authority is often weak or nonexistent. Influence flows entirely through relationships. A leader who cannot navigate informal networks cannot lead at all. This is not a Ghanaian exception. It is a universal truth that becomes visible when formal structures are thin.
The Philosophy of Influence
The philosophers have long understood that power is not just about what you command. It is about who you know and who knows you.
Machiavelli’s Realism. Niccolò Machiavelli is often reduced to a caricature of cynical manipulation. But his actual insight was more subtle. He argued that effective leaders must understand how power actually works, not how they wish it worked. They must study the real dynamics of their organisations. They must build alliances, read the room, and act with both force and flexibility. Machiavelli would have recognised Kwame’s mistake immediately. Kwame assumed that presenting a good idea to the right people would be enough. Machiavelli would have said: “You forgot to consider the appetites and fears of everyone else.”
The Pragmatists on Consequences. William James and John Dewey argued that the truth of an idea is measured by its consequences. An idea that never gets implemented has no truth, no matter how elegant. Strategic influence is the mechanism that turns good ideas into real outcomes. Without it, you are not a leader. You are a dreamer.
Foucault on Power as Everywhere. Michel Foucault argued that power is not a top‑down structure. It is dispersed throughout the social body. Every relationship, every conversation, every act of attention or neglect is an exercise of power. The leader who understands this does not try to control everything from the centre. They recognise that influence happens in a thousand small interactions. They show up. They listen. They build trust. And over time, that distributed power accumulates in their favour.
African Wisdom: Networks as Kinship
The African philosophical tradition has never separated influence from relationship. In many ways, it has always understood what Western management science is only now discovering.
Abusua. The Akan concept of abusua refers to the extended family or clan, but it also describes a way of understanding human connection. In traditional Ghanaian society, your abusua is your network of mutual obligation. You are not an individual. You are a node in a web. The leader who understands abusua knows that influence flows through kinship, real or metaphorical. Building relationships is not a strategic tactic. It is a moral duty.
The Kyerɛma. In traditional Akan courts, the chief does not speak directly to the assembly. A spokesperson, the kyerɛma, speaks on their behalf. The kyerɛma is not a servant. They are a powerful figure who controls the flow of communication between the chief and the people. A wise leader cultivates strong relationships with the kyerɛma, because the kyerɛma shapes what the chief hears and how the chief is perceived. Every organisation has its kyerɛma. The executive assistant. The trusted advisor. The gatekeeper. Strategic influence requires recognising who these people are and treating them with the respect they deserve.
The Talking Drum Revisited. The talking drum does not send a message in a straight line. It sends a message through a network of listeners, each of whom interprets and retransmits. Influence works the same way. You do not persuade everyone directly. You persuade the people who will persuade others. You identify the nodes in the network where your message will be amplified.
Ubuntu and Mutual Elevation. “I am because we are.” Ubuntu teaches that your success is intertwined with the success of others. Strategic influence, in this light, is not about using people for your own ends. It is about helping people achieve their ends so that they will naturally support yours. The most influential leader is not the one who extracts the most value from others. It is the one who creates the most value for others.
Sacred Tradition: The Power of the Advocate
The sacred texts are filled with stories of influence that does not rely on formal authority.
Joseph in Egypt (Genesis 39‑41). Joseph was a slave and then a prisoner. He had no formal authority. But he had influence because he interpreted dreams accurately and because he built relationships of trust with those around him. When Pharaoh needed advice, the cupbearer remembered Joseph. Influence is not about your title. It is about your reputation and your relationships.
Esther’s Network (Esther 4‑7). Esther was queen, but her formal authority was limited. She could not simply command the king to save her people. She had to build a coalition. She enlisted her cousin Mordecai. She asked the Jewish community to fast and pray. She invited the king and Haman to a banquet. She chose the right moment to speak. She used her relationships to create a situation where her request could not be denied. That is strategic influence.
Paul’s Letters to the Churches. Paul was an apostle, but he had no formal authority over the churches he wrote to. He could not command them to change their behaviour. Instead, he built relationships. He sent trusted emissaries. He reminded them of their shared history. He framed his requests in terms of mutual benefit. He used every tool of strategic influence available to him, and he did it with integrity.
Practical Exercise: Mapping Your Influence Network
This exercise will take about forty‑five minutes. Do it alone first, then share it with a mentor or trusted colleague.
Step One. List Everyone Who Matters.
Think of an initiative, idea, or change you want to make in your organisation. Write down the names of everyone who could affect its success or failure. Do not limit yourself to the org chart. Include:
· Decision makers (people who can say yes or no)
· Implementers (people who will have to do the work)
· Influencers (people whose opinions shape the views of others)
· Gatekeepers (people who control access to information or decision makers)
· Blockers (people who might resist, whether openly or quietly)
Write down at least ten names. More is better.
Step Two. Map the Relationships.
Draw a circle in the centre of a piece of paper. Write your name inside it. Then draw circles around it for each person on your list. Connect them with lines that represent relationships. Use different line styles:
· Solid line for strong trust and frequent communication
· Dashed line for occasional contact
· Dotted line for strained or distant relationship
Now draw connections between the other circles. Who talks to whom? Who trusts whom? Who dislikes whom? This is your network map.
Step Three. Identify the Gaps.
Look at your map. Where are the structural holes? Which groups are disconnected from each other? Which people are isolated? Which relationships are missing? These gaps are opportunities. If you can bridge a structural hole, you gain influence.
Step Four. Identify the Champions and Blockers.
Look at your map again. Circle the people who are likely to support your initiative. These are your champions. Underline the people who are likely to resist. These are your blockers. For each blocker, write down what they are afraid of losing. For each champion, write down what they hope to gain.
Step Five. Plan Your Campaign.
For each champion, plan one action to deepen the relationship. A conversation. A request for advice. A public acknowledgment of their contribution.
For each blocker, plan one action to understand their perspective. A listening meeting. A question about their concerns. An offer to address their fears.
For each structural hole, plan one action to connect the disconnected. Introduce two people who should know each other. Share information across a boundary. Facilitate a conversation between groups.
Step Six. Take the First Step.
Choose one action from your plan. Do it this week. Not all of them. Just one. Then repeat.
Application
This week, do three things.
First, have a listening conversation with someone you have been ignoring. Not a pitch. Not a request. Just listen. Ask what they care about, what they fear, and what they need.
Second, bridge one structural hole. Introduce two people who should know each other. Share information across a boundary. Make a connection that did not exist before.
Third, publicly thank someone who helped you. Not vaguely. Specifically. Name what they did and why it mattered. Social proof is powerful. Use it generously.
Then notice something. The more you give, the more influence you will have. Not because people owe you, but because they trust you. And trust is the only influence that lasts.
References
· Burt, R. S. (2004). Structural holes and good ideas. American Journal of Sociology, 110(2), 349‑399.
· Cialdini, R. B. (2001). Influence: Science and practice (4th ed.). Allyn & Bacon.
· Ferris, G. R., Treadway, D. C., Kolodinsky, R. W., Hochwarter, W. A., Kacmar, C. J., Douglas, C., & Frink, D. D. (2005). Development and validation of the political skill inventory. Journal of Management, 31(1), 126‑152.
· Foucault, M. (1978). The history of sexuality, volume 1: An introduction. Random House.
· Kpodo, P. E. (2026). Managerial soft skills in the structure of effective leadership: Posh Life Plan, a project‑based business plan for a leadership development platform serving the Ghanaian market. Master’s thesis, HSE University.
· Machiavelli, N. (1532). The prince.
· Pfeffer, J. (1992). Managing with power: Politics and influence in organizations. Harvard Business School Press.
A Final Word
Module 21 is not about becoming a Machiavellian schemer. It is about waking up to how organisations actually work. The org chart is a lie, but the lie persists because it is comfortable. It allows us to pretend that good ideas will be recognised on their merits, that hard work will be rewarded, and that formal authority is the only power that matters.
None of that is true.
Organisations are jungles. The official map is incomplete. The real terrain is shaped by relationships, fears, loyalties, and informal networks. If you refuse to learn that terrain, you will fail. Your good ideas will die. Your projects will stall. Your leadership will be confined to the narrow scope of your formal authority.
But if you learn to read the terrain, if you map the networks, if you build relationships before you need them, and if you use your influence with integrity, then you can lead from wherever you sit. You can change things. You can make good ideas real. You can be effective.
That is not politics. That is structural leadership. And it is the only kind that works.
This module is part of the P.O.S.H. Leadership Curriculum, available for free at [www.poshlifeplan.com]. The curriculum was developed through research conducted for a master’s thesis at HSE University and is offered freely to support leadership development in Ghana and beyond.
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