How Influential Are You at Work, Really?

How influential are you at work, really? Especially if you don’t have “manager” or “vice president” on your business card?

What if I told you influence doesn’t require a title at all? That you could exercise influence early in your career? Would you believe me?

Before you answer, sit with these three questions:

• Who outside my department knows what I do well?
• When was the last time I solved a problem that wasn’t technically mine?
• Do my teammates seek out my opinion — or just my help?

That last one deserves a pause. There’s a meaningful difference between being the person who gets things done and being the person others consult before deciding what to do. Both matter. Only one is influence.