Influence Effect, The: A New Path to Power for Women Leaders

by Kathryn Heath

Women hold over half of all professional jobs today, yet they represent just four percent of CEOs in the S&P 500-and that percentage has barely budged in a decade. In every industry, from private equity investing to network television, women are underrepresented in leadership and paid less than men for the same work. That's where The Influence Effect comes in. Based on recent research, this book begins with the premise that what works for men won't work for women. It argues that the problem with everything we've been told about what women need to do to succeed-from leaning-in to throwing out the idea of being nice girls-is that it misses what actually puts women ahead: influence. Packed with new executive coaching techniques and strategies, The Influence Effect makes success far less complex. By putting the focus on gaining influence, this book helps women overcome entrenched resistance to their ideas, create their own access points to power, and attract followers in a way that works for them.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Self Help

Audio CD

Published November 6, 2017

About the author

Kathryn Heath, PhD, is a distinguished thought leader, author, and sought-after speaker on the topic of women’s leadership. For more than twenty years, she has coached high-potential women leaders to help them move forward faster. She is a co-author of I Wish I'd Known This: 6 Career-Accelerating Secrets for Women Leaders (Berrett-Koehler, Aug. 2022); The Influence Effect: A New Path to Power for Women Leaders (Berrett-Koehler, 2017); and Break Your Own Rules: How to Change the Patterns of Thinking that Block Women’s Path to Power ( Jossey-Bass, 2011). She also authored five chapters in the HBR Guide for Women at Work (Harvard Business Review Press, 2019).

Heath currently serves as a managing director of the Leadership Acceleration Practice at Bravanti, a preeminent firm in the field of leadership development. She was a founding partner of Flynn Heath Leadership, where she designed and executed custom programs to recruit, retain, and promote women and to help women overcome barriers to advancement. Previously, Heath was senior vice-president and director of First University at First Union, where her inventive and results-focused approach won her numerous awards in the field of learning and development.

Heath has also coauthored numerous articles on women’s leadership for Harvard Business Review. She is a high-demand speaker for conference keynotes and other events, and she has presented at the 24th Annual ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference and the Network of Executive Women Leadership Summit.

Heath holds a PhD from the University of North Carolina Greensboro; a master’s degree in education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte; and a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Reviews

[Nichola Gutgold · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick and effective read that underscores what women can do to make meaningful contributions in organizations. The advice on participation in meetings, I think is particularly useful. Well-written, to the point. I recommend this book for anyone interested in more inclusive meetings.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical, implementalable strategies. Concise delivery.

[Lisa Kosak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Politics. Most of us react like it’s a dirty word and it doesn’t change any when we talk about workplace politics. Those are even worse because politics at work is more personal, tangible, and the elephant in the room. Some people are manipulative at politics in the workplace to the point where it’s over the top and nauseating. Sadly, politics at work is a necessary evil, and for most women, it’s a nightmare and can paralyze us.

No one “trains” women how to work political so when we are newly minted in a job, it can be a shock to be told to start “politicking,” or we see it and feel lost or beaten down. Men are better at the game because they think “winning” and women tend to think more about “building.” Which one works the best? The new book The Influence Effect by Kathryn Heath, Jill Flynn, Mary Davis Holt, and Diana Faison is a must read for all women who are in business or just jumping into the fray. You can’t afford to not read and use this book as a map for wandering through the political minefield in the workplace.

Politics seems to come naturally to most men. As women, we fight it, fear it, and it appears dirty. It doesn’t need to be. Women need to think about politics in a new light. We have some natural gifts that many men lack and we can use them to forge relationships and become masters at politics with soul, relationship focus, and positive influence. Women need to realize that politics is all about bringing people together, making a positive inclusive change, using power as a tool, and make our voices heard with a seat at the table.

The Influence Effect offers tools and strategies to encourage women to look at politics as a positive. The authors have all been in our seats and know that influencing those around us is the key to success. The more influence that we can foster, the more opportunities that we have to hear our voices heard and can make an impact without “playing” politics. Using our influence enables us to create agendas, make connections, bring teams together and make a change. Influence is “the tool of the times” and women can’t avoid jumping in to use our natural gifts.

The Influence Effect is divided into three parts and each one builds on fostering your influence and growing self-confidence. They include: Prepare to influence, Practice the five strategies, and Influence in action. Each chapter is rich with real stories and struggles of women and how they coped with political success and failure. There are point summaries to ask yourself and review to enable the reader to learn and reflect.

The meat of The Influence Effect are the five strategies that we are given to build our influence and make a change. Each approach will open your eyes to possibilities, empower your efforts while feeling supported. Here are the strategies that you need to learn to be in the influence driver’s seat:

The power of the informal
Relationship maps
Scenario thinking
Influence loops
Momentum

I guarantee that each of these strategies will encourage you to become hungry to become more influential in a proactive manner. It’s comforting reading the stories of other women who have been in our shoes and have learned to overcome and make politics an asset. The Influence Effect will open your eyes to the world that men have lived in for so long yet show you how to succeed with a woman’s touch. We can strategize, think and act, and build teams with our form of influence. Pick up The Influence Effect today to embark on your own journey.

[Lyn Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely was confronted with some of the behaviours and things I should be doing less of and got a wealth of tips and hints on things I should be doing more of.

But most importantly this book along with some feedback from my peers mean that I will be act and behave visibly different at work as a result. I will also be less sensitive to negative feedback from others who don't have influence or that I ultimately don't respect.

This book has reinforced some valuable lessons for me such as the meeting before the meeting, the importance of gauging executive interest and where I need be more assertive.

Always room for continued improvement. I really enjoyed listening to this book

[Brooke Halak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me forever as I read in doses but it definitely reframed my perspective on approaching initiatives and leadership in the workplace. While a lot of the advice feels like common sense, this book breaks each strategy down making steps to influence a little more digestible. While not everything was entirely applicable to my level now it will definitely come in handy and it helped me better understand the perspectives and decisions that leadership makes/their approaches (and understand corporate culture). Downside- it did feel like reading a book for school.

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good thoughts, but nothing new here. It also repeated itself a lot.

Also, the book is aimed towards women that are already more successful (and more ambitious) than I am. At one point they say “hard work is never enough”. It’s enough for me, thanks.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tips to meeting your goals in a program or industry

[Dalila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy it at the beginning as it was too feminist. But then the list of tricks and advices are pretty good and useful.

[Emma Boylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read with some helpful, practical advice.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate the systems and games at play in the professional world. So, this book frustrated me a lot, but it is very insightful on how to navigate these systems and norms.

[Dil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just the book I needed for a bit of boost of confidence. Lots of practical examples and the best part is the strategies we can employ and try on our own terms.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Influence Effect is like having a personal career coach by your side.
It equips you with practical ideas, sparks “light bulb” moments through storytelling and relatable examples and leaves you inspired to make a difference. After spending 15 years in financial services and now, as a business owner, I recommend this as a must read for women at every stage of their career.

[Jeannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise and pointed; the strategies were broken down into easily digestible chunks, and the relevant examples helped bring them into an everyday office setting. Written by women as a usable guide for women, complete with a two-page outlined breakdown of the entire book in Appendix A. I already know that I will come back to this for years to come

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really a 3.5 stars. Some great nuggets of wisdom in here, but often it kind of feels a little stale and heard before.

[Megan Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Outdated post Covid.