Influence at Work: Unlocking the Secrets to Career Growth

Young and Profiting with Hala Taha | August 27, 2025
Sponsored by MasterClass

Overview

In this special episode, Hala Taha explores the actionable skills and strategies needed to build influence and accelerate career growth, drawing on insights from prominent business experts including Chris Voss, Kim Scott, Patrick Lencioni, Tori Dunlap, Ken Coleman, and more. The discussion weaves together themes of entrepreneurial mindset, confidence, likability, communication, feedback, and self-promotion, offering a comprehensive playbook for anyone aiming to get ahead in their professional life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Thinking Like an Entrepreneur, Even as an Employee

[02:41 – 04:36]

• Treat your role as if you’re running your own business – focus on adding value, solving problems, and driving growth.
• Derek Kinney: "If an employee says that to me, that's gold. That is absolute gold. Because you stand out and we know that that person wants to add more value and they're likely going to be making more money as well." ([02:57])
• Acting with an entrepreneurial spirit can open doors to more responsibility, raises, and even equity, especially in startups.
• Avoid a passive "employee" mentality; initiative and value creation are de-commoditizers in today's workplace.

2. Finding and Playing to Your Strengths

[04:36 – 06:34]

• The best employees align their initiatives with where they feel most energized — their "zone of genius."
• Patrick Lencioni: "I've come to realize now that I have wounds that I didn't even know were wounds. I thought they were my superpowers... And that doesn't mean we're meant to." ([05:07])
• Burnout and dissatisfaction often stem from spending too much time on draining tasks rather than leveraging natural gifts.

3. Building Unshakable Confidence

[06:34 – 10:49]

• Confidence is rooted in self-worth — believing you are deserving of opportunities and recognition.
• Tori Dunlap: "I believe myself worthy of every opportunity, of every piece of love and belonging... I'm not worried about how I'm presenting myself. I'm just trying to figure out, like, does this person, is this person worthy of me?" ([07:17])
• The narrative you tell about your own value matters; confidence is infectious and shapes how others perceive and reward you.
• Stacey Vanek Smith: "Value... is just a story. And confidence is a story." ([08:23])
• Boost confidence by taking action (speaking up, asking for more), aiming higher, and surrounding yourself with confident people.

4. The Power of Likability and Authentic Relationships

[10:49 – 14:38]

• Likability builds trust, credibility, and influence; it increases your impact, referrals, and the willingness of others to support you.
• Michelle Tillis Lederman: "When you are likable, you are seen as more credit worthy, more trustworthy. Your ideas are received and acted upon, so you are listened to, you are more influential." ([11:01])
• Networking should be about building authentic, long-term connections, not immediate transactional gain.
• Focus on personal interests, shared experiences, and adding value for both parties — not “networking for need.”

5. Mastering Communication and Presence

[16:43 – 22:48]

• Every professional interaction is a stage; the way you communicate shapes your personal brand.
• Yasser Khan: "When you open your mouth, that is your brand... having that finesse on your words, making sure when you're on stage people remember you, is more important than it's ever been." ([16:43])
• Preparation is key, even in spontaneous-seeming networking; prep themes and supporting anecdotes in advance.
• Matt Abrahams: "You can do the same thing, think about these themes and then think about these different types of support for those themes." ([18:25])
• Non-verbal cues (body language, vocal variety, energy) greatly enhance your perceived confidence and credibility.
• Advice: Make yourself physically bigger, vary your voice, and review recordings to improve your delivery.

6. Guiding Conversations with Strategic Questions

[22:48 – 25:01]

• Influence is often about shifting from making statements to asking powerful “what” and “how” questions.
• Chris Voss: "People love to be asked what to do. People love to be asked how to do something. You give them the illusion of control when you ask those questions." ([23:27])
• Example: Instead of outright refusing, say "How am I supposed to do that?"—it invites collaboration and understanding rather than confrontation.

7. Seeking and Handling Feedback with Maturity

[25:40 – 27:40]

• Proactively solicit feedback, listen to understand, and reward candor by acting or explaining your reasons for disagreeing respectfully.
• Kim Scott: "Don't pretend to agree when you disagree... Look for that 5 or 10% of what your boss said that you can agree with and give voice to that." ([26:18, 27:03])
• Effective disagreement and challenge (done respectfully) can build stronger professional relationships.

8. Knowing When (and How) to Leave Toxic Environments

[27:46 – 30:09]

• Recognize that sometimes the problem is the environment, not you — don’t stay where you aren’t valued or developed.
• Tim Salo: "He looks me dead in my eyes and he says, it's not my job to grow you, it's not my job to coach you... Great manager, but awful leader." ([28:17])
• Have the courage to pursue new opportunities and avoid limiting yourself to one stagnant situation.

9. The Proximity Principle: Opportunity Through Environment

[30:09 – 33:01]

• Being around the right people, in the right places, creates (and compounds) opportunity.
• Ken Coleman: "The right people plus the right places equals opportunity... it becomes this cyclical process of learning, doing and connecting." ([30:41])
• Proximity expands your network, visibility, and likelihood of being considered for big opportunities.

10. Promoting Yourself with Authority

[33:01 – 34:22]

• Take control of your personal narrative—be your own advocate, clarify what you want, and communicate it confidently.
• Julie Solomon: "If you're not going to toot your own horn, who is?... You, you can't hide yourself and expect to be seen." ([33:27, 34:29])
• Overcome fears of visibility and take the initiative to self-promote; this is foundational for achieving real influence.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "It's not just about what you believe. It's about what you do." — Hala Taha ([00:33])
• "You can't hide yourself and expect to be seen." — Julie Solomon ([34:29])
• “If I understand that being around the right people is going to allow me to meet more of the right people... your life is actually a wonderful example of this.” — Ken Coleman ([31:54])
• "Every single time you [communicate], you are representing yourself and your brand. What do you want people to interpret about you?" — Yasser Khan ([17:25])
• "Great communicators know how to shift the dynamic... by asking the right questions." — Hala Taha ([22:48])

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Topic | Speaker(s) | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------------|------------------------------|------------| | Entrepreneurial mindset & value creation | Hala Taha & Derek Kinney | 02:41–04:36| | Zone of genius & strengths | Patrick Lencioni | 04:36–06:34| | Confidence & self-worth | Tori Dunlap, Stacey Vanek Smith | 06:34–10:49| | Likability & authentic networking | Michelle Tillis Lederman | 10:49–14:38| | Communication as your brand | Yasser Khan | 16:43–17:58| | Preparation for high-impact conversations | Matt Abrahams | 17:58–20:29| | Nonverbal communication tips | Matt Abrahams | 20:29–22:48| | Influence with 'what' and 'how' questions | Chris Voss | 22:48–25:01| | Soliciting and using feedback | Kim Scott | 25:40–27:40| | Knowing when to leave a toxic company | Tim Salo | 27:46–30:09| | The Proximity Principle for opportunity | Ken Coleman | 30:09–33:01| | Being your own publicist (BYOP) | Julie Solomon | 33:01–34:22|

Conclusion

Hala Taha’s episode delivers a definitive roadmap for building real-world influence at work: Think and act entrepreneurially, center your strengths, embody authentic confidence, build relationships, master communication, handle feedback maturely, and become your own loudest advocate. These actionable steps, backed by expert advice and powerful anecdotes, empower listeners to claim their seat at the table and build lasting career momentum.