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Influencing for In-house Lawyers: what it is, why it matters, and who to influence across your organisation

Published by a LexisNexis In-house Advisor expert

Practice notes

This Practice Note is designed for lawyers beginning their careers in-house. It outlines what ‘influencing’ entails and showcases its constructive value in the workplace. It also explains why influencing matters and identifies who we ought to influence. For additional support on enhancing your influencing capability, see Practice Note: Developing your influencing skills.

What is influencing?

Influencing is a broad concept, and covers:

ensuring sound decisions are taken—and steering clear of poor choices
acting as a trusted adviser across the organisation, with operational risk front of mind, keeping everyone aligned
tapping into the influence others hold within the organisation—for the organisation’s benefit
shifting towards ‘soft power’—moving away from carrot-and-stick (inducements and threats) to motivating others to want the outcomes you want, with co‑option preferred over coercion
demonstrating ‘emotional intelligence’, not merely technical skill

It is worth dispelling a couple of myths at this point. To some, influencing appears to be ‘playing politics’. Yet ‘politics’ need not be a negative force. Politics practised cleanly and for...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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