Think you’re a trusted strategic advisor and influencer to leadership? Here are questions you need to ask yourself about whether you can really put yourself in the boss’s shoes and work from a management perspective.
- What is the real expertise, beyond my area of staff knowledge, that I bring to those who run my organization?
- Do I have the stamina to make progress incrementally and, at the same time, help the extraordinary number of individuals around me and those who will cross my path as I move toward my goal of becoming a trusted strategic advisor?
- Do I have the stomach for the intense, conflict-ridden, and often confrontational environment in which decisions are made at the senior levels of organizations?
- Do I have the personal confidence and substantive intensity to be able to comfortably hold my own among others who do well in these very competitive environments?
- Can I dispassionately assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, options, and threats of the organization from a variety of useful perspectives?
- Do I have easy access to those who actually have the operating responsibility to resolve issues; implement solutions; and prevent, detect, or deter unproductive actions?
- What do I provide of real value every time the boss reaches out to me?
- What can my boss count on from me if I am called in ahead of everyone else?
- Am I always prepared to be called in ahead of everyone else?
- Am I always ready to assess and evaluate those around me when the boss asks?
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©2026, James E. Lukaszewski, “Influencing Leaders, The Seven Disciplines of the Trusted Strategic Advisor,” Wiley. Contact the copyright holder at jel@e911.com for information and reproduction permissions. Editing or excerpting forbidden.
