We begin our discussion by identifying the eleven most important attributes of a successful Trusted Strategic Advisor and Influencer:
- Seek the truth first, find ethical, civil, and decent pathways promptly and urgently.
- Truth is generally best expressed in positive, declarative language and consists of fifteen percent facts and data, eighty-five percent emotion and emotional explanations.
- Use truth-hiding and truth-confusing techniques very carefully, if at all.
- Avoid known patterns of failure, e.g., silence, stalling, denial, victim-confusion, testosterosis, arrogance, searching for the guilty, fear of the media, whining.
- Ask better, tougher, more constructive questions than anyone else.
- Be fifteen minutes early or first.
- Avoid surprises, forecast trouble (have a readiness plan in hand).
- Think before you edit. Put your pencil down. Question all edits.
- Constantly challenge the standard assumptions and practices of our profession.
- Be productive – do the doable, know the knowable, get the getable, arrange the arrangeable.
- Say things others fear to say, voice them first.
Some of the Most Important Patterns Trusted Strategic Advisors and Influencers Need to Recognize
- Decision-Making Patterns
- Recognize how leaders make decisions under pressure, including their preferences for information, risk tolerance, and typical responses to crises.
- Understand recurring dynamics such as resistance to change, groupthink, and the informal networks that drive real influence within the organization.
- Identify how information flows, where bottlenecks occur, and which channels are most effective for reaching leaders and stakeholders.
- Spot early warning signs of emerging crises or conflicts, and understand how these typically escalate or resolve within the organization.
- Discern the unique leadership styles of those you advise, including their motivators, blind spots, and preferred ways of receiving advice.
- Be attuned to the organization’s culture, values, and ethical boundaries, as these shape what advice will be accepted and acted upon.
- Analyze past initiatives to identify what has led to success or failure, using these insights to inform future recommendations.
- Scenario and pattern sensitivity is a state of mind and a discipline one chooses to acquire and use. The benefits are extraordinary. I have literally hundreds of scenario files that I’ve have been involved with or interested in throughout my career.
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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.
