The Four C’s of Influencing: How Leaders Build Agency With and Without Authority

Leadership in today’s world is less about titles and more about influence. Whether you sit at the top of the hierarchy or lead from the middle, the most effective leaders are those who inspire action, empower their teams, and drive change—often without traditional authority. At the heart of this ability lies mastery of the Four C’s of Influencing: Cultivating Agency, Connecting, Communicating, and Convincing. Together, these principles form a roadmap for creating impact that transcends power structures, unlocking potential in both individuals and organizations.

Cultivating Agency: The Foundation of Influence

Imagine being in a boat without a paddle, carried along by the current. That’s what leadership feels like without agency—reactive, uncertain, and directionless. Cultivating agency is about grabbing the paddle and steering with purpose. It starts with leveraging your attitude and actions to foster focus, accountability, and influence within yourself and others.

Leaders who cultivate agency embrace a proactive mindset. They don’t wait for opportunities; they create them. They practice accountability by owning their decisions and modeling this behavior for their teams. Most importantly, they empower others to do the same. When leaders cultivate agency, their teams stop looking for permission to act—they take initiative, solve problems, and own outcomes.

A leader’s mantra here is simple: “I trust you to make it happen.” By fostering an environment where agency thrives, leaders multiply their influence, allowing others to lead from within.

Connecting: Building Trust and Adding Value

Leadership without connection is like shouting into a void. The second C, Connecting, is about building trust, creating proximity, and consistently adding value to relationships. Influence begins with credibility, and credibility comes from showing people you genuinely care about their success.

Connection starts with empathy—understanding what motivates others and aligning with their goals. It deepens through consistent actions that demonstrate reliability and integrity. Leaders who connect well don’t just deliver results; they build relationships. They ask questions, listen actively, and ensure others feel seen, heard, and valued.

Proximity is also key. Leaders who are approachable and present cultivate a sense of shared purpose. They show up where it matters, whether it’s a team brainstorming session, a one-on-one coaching moment, or an informal chat over coffee. These seemingly small interactions build the relational equity that makes influence possible.

Connection tip: Add value before asking for buy-in. People are far more likely to follow when they see you’re invested in their growth and success.

Communicating: Crafting Narratives That Move the Needle

Every leader needs a story—a compelling narrative that inspires action. The third C, Communicating, is about crafting and delivering messages that resonate deeply. Whether rallying a team around a vision or persuading a stakeholder to take a risk, effective communication creates clarity, sparks enthusiasm, and drives action.

To communicate with impact, leaders must first master the art of storytelling. Facts inform, but stories inspire. A well-crafted narrative ties personal meaning to broader organizational goals, making the abstract feel tangible. For example, instead of saying, “We need to increase sales by 20%,” a leader might say, “Imagine the lives we could change if we reached 20% more customers. What stories could we create together?”

Equally important is how leaders frame challenges. Great communicators reframe obstacles as opportunities. Instead of presenting problems, they inspire action by focusing on solutions and possibilities.

Pro tip: Don’t just share the what; share the why. A narrative with purpose is one that people want to be part of.

Convincing: Gaining Buy-In With the Right Approaches

Even the most compelling narrative falls flat without the ability to Convince others to adopt it. The fourth C is about using the right approaches at the right time to inspire action and commitment.

Leaders convince by tailoring their approach to the situation and the individuals involved. Techniques like cooperative assertiveness—boldly advocating for ideas while inviting collaboration—create alignment without alienation. Inquiry-based conversations encourage others to explore solutions themselves, fostering ownership and buy-in.

When faced with resistance, leaders employ paradoxical solutions to reframe disagreements. Instead of choosing sides, they find a way to integrate competing perspectives, avoiding zero-sum outcomes. This shift from "either-or" to "both-and" thinking leads to creative win-win solutions that everyone can rally behind.

Most importantly, leaders convince by making others feel part of the cause. Influence isn’t about imposing ideas; it’s about inspiring shared ownership. When people see their fingerprints on a decision, they’re far more likely to follow through with commitment.

The Four C’s in Action

Let’s bring this to life with a real-world example. When Emma Santos became Head of Product Development at NovaTech, she faced a team that lacked agency and alignment. Applying the Four C’s, Emma turned the tide.

1. Cultivating Agency: Emma empowered her team by introducing “empowerment zones” where they could make decisions autonomously. She practiced accountability herself, openly owning mistakes and modeling resilience.
2. Connecting: Emma built trust through consistent one-on-ones, genuinely listening to her team’s aspirations and challenges. By adding value to their growth, she gained their trust and loyalty.
3. Communicating: Emma crafted a compelling vision for the team, tying their daily efforts to the company’s mission of innovation and impact. Her stories transformed abstract goals into a shared purpose.
4. Convincing: Emma used inquiry and cooperative assertiveness to inspire collaboration. When team conflicts arose, she reframed them as opportunities for win-win solutions. Her team not only adopted her vision—they made it their own.

The result? Emma’s team went from reactive to proactive, delivering record-breaking results and becoming a model for other departments.

The Four C’s of Influencing—Cultivating Agency, Connecting, Communicating, and Convincing—are the keys to leading with and without authority. They transform leaders from mere decision-makers into true influencers who inspire action, build trust, and drive change.

Leadership isn’t about control; it’s about empowerment. When you master the Four C’s, you create a culture where people take ownership, align with purpose, and collaborate toward shared success. And in that culture, your influence becomes limitless.

Are you ready to lead with the Four C’s? Start today. Cultivate agency, connect with others, craft compelling narratives, and convince with impact. The ripple effects will be undeniable—and so will your legacy.

Omar L. Harris is the managing partner at?Intent Consulting , a firm dedicated to improving employee experience and organizational performance and author of?Leader Board: The DNA of High-Performance Teams; The Servant Leader's Manifesto; Be a J.E.D.I. Leader, Not a Boss: Leadership in the Era of Corporate Social Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; Leading Change: The 4 Keys; Hire the Right W.H.O.M.: Sourcing the Right Team DNA Every Time; and The J.E.D.I. Leader's Playbook: The Insider's Guide to Eradicating Injustices, Eliminating Inequities, Expanding Diversity, and Enhancing Inclusion ?available for purchase in ebook, print, and audio on?Amazon.com . Please follow him?Instagram ,?Twitter , and/or his?website ?for more information and engagement.