Influence>Intelligence

A few days back, I wrote about how real decisions don’t get made in meetings. They happen before the meeting, in quiet conversations, through context-setting and alignment.

I have a related point: Influence beats intelligence.

People don’t always back the smartest idea in the room. They back the person they trust. The one who gets them. The one they feel aligned with.

You can win the logic and still lose the outcome if you haven’t built the relationship and trust.

So if your idea isn’t landing, don’t just sharpen your argument. Strengthen your influence.