Jenoir | Innovate. Lead. Succeed

Influencing Powerful People

Engage and command the attention of the decision makers to get what you need to succeed

There are thousands of books that offer advice on being and becoming a great leader. Yet, there is very little written about how to work with leaders, especially those who are demanding and difficult. This is despite the fact that such characters are a universal phenomenon.

Empowering Leaders, Inspiring Success

With a passion for inspiring transformative change, we offer a comprehensive range of services, including executive coaching, keynote speaking, and strategic business consulting. Our tailored approach ensures that each client receives the insights and tools necessary to navigate challenges, drive innovation, and achieve their goals.

Our mission is to inspire and equip leaders to unlock their full potential, foster a culture of collaboration, and lead their organizations to unprecedented success. Join us on a journey of growth, resilience, and excellence, and let's create a future where your business not only meets expectations but exceeds them.

What readers are saying

Discover reviews and testimonials from readers who have experienced the impact of this book

For every 'powerful person' who has influenced history, there are three or four people behind the scenes without whom history would never have changed. Vision and drive for implementation are never enough. Dirk Schlimm's book is about how to accomplish the work of real change in the real world by doing the hard work that rarely gets noticed.

Governor Howard Dean, Chairman Emeritus, The Democratic National Committee

Dirk Schlimm's Influencing Powerful People provides invaluable insights into this dynamic—insights that will assist anyone to be more effective and successful.

Peter Jewett, Chair, Corporate Department, Torys LLP

Influencing Powerful People provides a unique perspective and fills a gaping hole for anyone responsible for improving organizations and their performance. With his insights and recommendations, Dirk Schlimm delivers the guide to making leadership effective, especially in organizations that overflow with powerful egos.

Friedrich Blase, Director, Strategic Initiatives, Holland & Knight LLP, New York, New York

Taming of the Shrewd may be a more apt title for this must-read book for those trying to channel the energies of a difficult boss. Dirk Schlimm's well-presented case studies provide valuable insights to optimize any working relationship.

Bruce Haas, Partner, Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto, New York, New York

Dirk Schlimm's book provides a compelling analysis of people in power and what it takes to deal with them. Whether you are an emerging senior executive, an experienced director of a publicly traded company, or a fundraiser-knowing how to deal with powerful (and self-absorbed) people is a key to success.

David Beatty, Conway Chair of the Clarkson Centre for Business Ethics and Board Effectiveness, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

I wish I had read Dirk Schlimm's book twenty years ago! There are many powerful leaders in Europe, and I had to find out the hard way many of the lessons Dirk shares in his book. His book certainly would have put me on a steeper learning curve.

Tom Haak, Group Director Human Resources, ARCADIS, Arnhem, The Netherlands

Working with powerful people, no matter if entrepreneurs or top leaders of corporations, is a great experience. It is a hard learning curve, however. While individually these people are all different, they do share many characteristics, such as intelligence, vision, and instinct. Having had the chance to work with many powerful people, I wish I had been better prepared. Influencing Powerful People is not another management or leadership book but a unique guide for all people who will experience these situations.

Volker Neuber, President, Ettlinger Kunststoffmaschinen GmbH, Königsbrunn, Germany

Most people during exit interviews say they leave an organization for better prospects. In reality, most good people leave because of their managers or poor management. If there was a strategy to understand how to influence or, at best, work better with demanding people, we would start to empower these individuals who are valuable intellectual assets. Dirk Schlimm's book is both timely and of great value to every one of us who has had to deal with overbearing individuals and not been able to put in place an effective strategy in overcoming these adversities.

David Tan, Program Director, Trenium, and Program Founder, Camp Discovery

Dirk Schlimm is a noted author and speaker on issues related to power and politics in organizations. He has distilled a wealth of knowledge gained from years of engaging a wide array of leaders from different cultural backgrounds into a book that will prove indispensible to practitioners and students keen on learning the 'soft skills' necessary to engage powerful people. This is an extremely relevant work that meets a long-standing need for a readable and comprehensive view of the practical methods for influencing those in power.

Leonard C. Sebastian, Associate Professor, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore

Having seen the effectiveness of Dirk Schlimm's methods firsthand in a tenuous situation, I can say only one thing: buy this book!

Daniel Marks, President, Stonehouse Capital Management, Toronto, Canada

The ability to work with and influence key decision makers becomes more critical as executives move higher on the corporate ladder. Dirk Schlimm's insights will prove invaluable for both those aiming for the top of the pyramid and those who just want to do well where they are. These skills are transferable across continents and extremely important in a globalized business world.

Katherine Zheng, Director, Greater China, Spencer Stuart, Beijing, China

Influencing powerful people is an art. It is a mix of technical skills, experience, instinct, empathy, and creativity. It may be difficult but, in the end, also very rewarding, both intellectually and professionally. There are many biographies or business cases regarding powerful people, but it is rare to find a book that helps you deal with them, influence them, and prevent the risk of being too complacent. Dirk Schlimm's book is a survival manual that is both interesting and very useful.

Giuseppe Addezio, Head of Human Resources and Organization, Pirelli Tyre and Part Group, Milan, Italy

I would definitely recommend this book to others. Having worked for such powerful people in my past experience, learned the hard way many of the lessons Dirk Schlimm has been able to capture in his book. He has clearly articulated the challenges and offers practical insight for effectively managing, and ultimately influencing, these type-A personalities. A must-read for all business school graduates looking to advance their careers.

Joel Schulman, Senior Director, Strategic Sourcing, Genzyme Corporation, Cambridge, Massachusetts

In the business world, often the most creative entrepreneurs have strong personalities and prove very difficult, if not impossible, to work for or with. However, to successfully grow their businesses, these very talented entrepreneurs almost always need a strong counterbalance-someone with unique skills to be a positive interface and make an impact. Dirk Schlimm has the experience and success in this capacity, and his book offers invaluable help to others in this type of environment.

John Doddridge, former Chairman and CEO, Intermet Corporation; former Director, Penske Corporation; and former President, Magna International

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