What's Your Influence Style?

Image Source

Quiz Questions

1.
Q1. A major initiative at your organization is losing momentum. What's your instinct?
- A.
  Figure out who the key decision-makers are and what would motivate them to re-engage
- B.
  Reach out to people across teams to understand what's stalling and reconnect the group
- C.
  Identify one concrete next step and push to get it done this week
- D.
  Analyze what's going wrong and prepare a clear-eyed assessment for the team
- E.
  Look at the underlying process to see if the structure itself is the problem
2.
Q2. You disagree with a direction your team is heading. How do you handle it?
- A.
  Privately share your concerns with the people most likely to influence the outcome
- B.
  Have honest one-on-one conversations with teammates to gauge where others stand
- C.
  Raise it directly in the next meeting — better to address it now than let it drift
- D.
  Prepare a well-reasoned alternative and present it when asked for your perspective
- E.
  Propose a revised framework or decision-making process that would lead to a better outcome
3.
Q3. A colleague from another department asks for your help on a high-visibility project. What appeals to you most?
- A.
  The chance to expand your visibility and build a relationship with a new part of the organization
- B.
  The opportunity to connect them with people in your network who could help even more
- C.
  The chance to jump in and make a tangible impact quickly
- D.
  The opportunity to bring your expertise to a new context and be a trusted voice
- E.
  The chance to help them build a better approach they can sustain after you step away
4.
Q4. You're preparing for a meeting where you need to get buy-in from senior leaders. What do you spend the most time on?
- A.
  Mapping out who will be in the room, what they care about, and how to position your ask
- B.
  Connecting with attendees beforehand so there are no surprises and people feel heard
- C.
  Sharpening your ask to be as clear and action-oriented as possible
- D.
  Making sure your data, evidence, and reasoning are bulletproof
- E.
  Designing the meeting structure itself so the conversation leads naturally to the outcome you want
5.
Q5. What frustrates you most in a professional setting?
- A.
  When good ideas fail because no one thought about timing or positioning
- B.
  When people make decisions without consulting the people most affected
- C.
  When teams talk endlessly but never commit to action
- D.
  When decisions are made without adequate information or expertise
- E.
  When the same problems keep recurring because no one fixes the root cause
6.
Q6. How do people typically describe your contribution after a successful project?
- A.
  "They always knew exactly how to navigate the politics and get it done."
- B.
  "They brought everyone together — people worked better because of them."
- C.
  "They were the spark. Nothing would've moved without their energy."
- D.
  "They were the person we all turned to when we needed clarity."
- E.
  "They built something that will last well beyond this project."
7.
Q7. A new team member is struggling to gain traction. What advice do you give them?
- A.
  Learn who the real influencers are — not just the people with titles
- B.
  Invest in relationships first; the work opportunities will follow
- C.
  Volunteer for a visible deliverable early — show your value through action
- D.
  Become the most knowledgeable person on one thing the team needs
- E.
  Study how things actually get done here — then improve one process
8.
Q8. When working on a cross-functional team, you naturally gravitate toward:
- A.
  Understanding each group's agenda so you can find the alignment point
- B.
  Building personal rapport with members from every function
- C.
  Driving the group toward decisions and deliverables
- D.
  Being the subject-matter resource the group relies on
- E.
  Defining the team's operating norms and workflow
9.
Q9. You've been asked to lead a project but have no direct authority over the team. What do you do first?
- A.
  Map the stakeholder landscape and identify where influence already exists
- B.
  Schedule one-on-one conversations with each team member to build trust
- C.
  Establish a quick win to build credibility and momentum early
- D.
  Demonstrate your command of the subject matter so the team trusts your direction
- E.
  Set up clear roles, decision rights, and a communication cadence from day one
10.
Q10. When you think about your career growth, influence means:
- A.
  Being positioned at the table where important decisions happen
- B.
  Having a network of people who trust me and want to collaborate
- C.
  Being the person who makes things happen, regardless of title
- D.
  Being sought out for my insight and judgment
- E.
  Having shaped the systems and processes others work within
11.
Q11. You notice a recurring problem that no one is owning. What do you do?
- A.
  Identify the right moment and the right person to bring it to
- B.
  Talk to the people closest to the problem to understand what's really going on
- C.
  Flag it publicly and offer to take the lead on solving it
- D.
  Research the issue thoroughly so you can present a credible case for action
- E.
  Design a solution or process that prevents it from happening again
12.
Q12. At a conference or industry event, you're most likely to:
- A.
  Identify three specific people you want to connect with and engineer those conversations
- B.
  Float between groups, making introductions and building new relationships organically
- C.
  Join the most energetic conversation and contribute ideas immediately
- D.
  Attend the sessions most relevant to your expertise and engage deeply in Q&A
- E.
  Evaluate how the event is organized and think about what you'd do differently
13.
Q13. When giving feedback to a peer, your approach is usually:
- A.
  Tailored to what will land best given their personality and the current dynamics
- B.
  Delivered in a private, trust-based conversation with genuine care for the relationship
- C.
  Direct and timely — you don't let things fester
- D.
  Grounded in specific observations and evidence
- E.
  Framed around how a process or behavior change would improve outcomes systemically
14.
Q14. Which compliment would mean the most to you?
- A.
  "You always know how to play it — your instincts are incredible."
- B.
  "People trust you in a way they don't trust most people in this organization."
- C.
  "You made it happen. No one else would have pushed this across the finish line."
- D.
  "Your perspective changed the way I think about this."
- E.
  "The framework you built is still how we operate — it's become part of our DNA."
15.
Q15. If you could be known for one thing in your career, it would be:
- A.
  Seeing the bigger picture and positioning people and ideas to succeed
- B.
  Creating environments where people collaborate, trust each other, and do their best work
- C.
  Turning vision into action and making things move when others couldn't
- D.
  Being the most trusted voice in my field
- E.
  Designing the systems and structures that outlast any single leader

Quiz Outcomes

1.
The Strategist
Image Source
You lead by reading the room — and the rooms you're not even in yet. You anticipate resistance, position your ideas for maximum impact, and rarely get caught off guard. People may not always see your work, but they feel the results.
2.
The Connector
Image Source
You lead through trust. You invest in people long before you need anything from them, and when it's time to move work forward, those relationships become your engine. You're the person everyone calls — not because of your title, but because they trust you.
3.
The Catalyst
Image Source
You lead through energy and action. While others deliberate, you're already identifying the next step and pushing to get it done. Teams move because you move first. Your impatience isn't a flaw — it's a feature.
4.
The Advisor
Image Source
You lead through credibility. You've earned a reputation as the person who knows their domain deeply, and others seek you out before making decisions. Your influence comes from being the voice people trust when the stakes are high.
5.
The Architect
Image Source
You lead by designing how things work. Your influence isn't tied to any single meeting or conversation — it's embedded in the processes, frameworks, and structures others use every day. You think in systems, not moments

What's Your Influence Style?

You don't need a title to lead. But do you know how you lead? Take this 3-minute quiz to discover your dominant influence style — and learn how to use it more intentionally.

Quiz Questions

Quiz Outcomes