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Lead With Influence: A Proven Process To Lead Without Authority presented by Dale Carnegie and Associates
Positive influence (without authority) is the superpower that most people never learn to use at work.
Millions of subject-matter experts, functional leaders, requirements gatherers, and problem solvers have opportunities to influence every day. Instead, too often they merely respond to requests and take orders from their stakeholders. By not exercising their unknown superpower, they miss opportunities to break down silos, improve collaboration, and accelerate the best decisions for the organization.
Organizations desperately need more positive leadership and influence to innovate, solve big challenges and develop healthy culture. If more people could discover how to use their superpower, they’d not only drive impact, but they would elevate their own perceived self-worth, leading to higher engagement and better mental and emotional wellbeing.
What do people do instead of using their untapped superpower?
When attempting to influence without much leverage, most people employ logical arguments and repeated pressure. They build a rational case and keep asking.
But that rarely works. Facts, arguments and pressure don’t work well trying to influence social/emotional creatures.
As Dale Carnegie said, “When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudices and motivated by pride and vanity.”
This book is designed to help people discover the most impactful approach to influencing without authority, coercion, manipulation or force. It is a practical guide to influence that builds trust and relationships. It provides clear patterns and mental models, grounded in neuroscience, for communicating in a way that generates engagement, buy-in and cooperation.
Anyone trying to influence without using “leverage” or “control” will benefit from this book. It’s especially suited for influencing in today’s fast-paced organizations where so many people have the ability to influence change, even if they don’t have the biggest title or the most political capital.
Other books on leadership, influence and trust, offer broad strategies, theories and truisms, but this book provides something more practical and
If you want to learn to utilize your superpower of influence, you have to figure out how to. It's not self-help, it’s how-to.
Millions of subject-matter experts, functional leaders, requirements gatherers, and problem solvers have opportunities to influence every day. Instead, too often they merely respond to requests and take orders from their stakeholders. By not exercising their unknown superpower, they miss opportunities to break down silos, improve collaboration, and accelerate the best decisions for the organization.
Organizations desperately need more positive leadership and influence to innovate, solve big challenges and develop healthy culture. If more people could discover how to use their superpower, they’d not only drive impact, but they would elevate their own perceived self-worth, leading to higher engagement and better mental and emotional wellbeing.
What do people do instead of using their untapped superpower?
When attempting to influence without much leverage, most people employ logical arguments and repeated pressure. They build a rational case and keep asking.
But that rarely works. Facts, arguments and pressure don’t work well trying to influence social/emotional creatures.
As Dale Carnegie said, “When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudices and motivated by pride and vanity.”
This book is designed to help people discover the most impactful approach to influencing without authority, coercion, manipulation or force. It is a practical guide to influence that builds trust and relationships. It provides clear patterns and mental models, grounded in neuroscience, for communicating in a way that generates engagement, buy-in and cooperation.
Anyone trying to influence without using “leverage” or “control” will benefit from this book. It’s especially suited for influencing in today’s fast-paced organizations where so many people have the ability to influence change, even if they don’t have the biggest title or the most political capital.
Other books on leadership, influence and trust, offer broad strategies, theories and truisms, but this book provides something more practical and
If you want to learn to utilize your superpower of influence, you have to figure out how to. It's not self-help, it’s how-to.
- GenresPersonal Development
222 pages, Paperback
Published March 12, 2024
35 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 8, 2026
Learning to Lead Through Influence, Not Authority
Lead With Influence by Matt Norman, presented by Dale Carnegie & Associates, is a thoughtful guide about how leadership today is less about titles and more about influence. The book explains that anyone can lead if they learn how to build trust, understand others, and communicate ideas in ways that truly resonate. Norman presents a practical framework that shows how influence grows through relationships, collaboration, and intentional conversations rather than authority.
What I appreciated most is how the book emphasizes shifting from simply being a “doer” to becoming someone who helps move people and ideas forward. One powerful insight is the importance of protecting time to think and connect with others instead of letting urgent tasks control everything. I also liked the idea of identifying the “mobilizers” in an organization — the people who truly move decisions forward — and focusing energy on building relationships with them. The reminder to step outside our comfort zone, listen more carefully, and communicate with clarity really stood out to me.
This book helped me reflect on how I want to grow professionally, especially in learning to influence rather than just execute tasks. It encouraged me to keep a bigger vision in mind and be more intentional about how I spend my time and attention. I would gladly give this book five stars and recommend it to anyone who wants to become a more thoughtful and effective leader.
Lead With Influence by Matt Norman, presented by Dale Carnegie & Associates, is a thoughtful guide about how leadership today is less about titles and more about influence. The book explains that anyone can lead if they learn how to build trust, understand others, and communicate ideas in ways that truly resonate. Norman presents a practical framework that shows how influence grows through relationships, collaboration, and intentional conversations rather than authority.
What I appreciated most is how the book emphasizes shifting from simply being a “doer” to becoming someone who helps move people and ideas forward. One powerful insight is the importance of protecting time to think and connect with others instead of letting urgent tasks control everything. I also liked the idea of identifying the “mobilizers” in an organization — the people who truly move decisions forward — and focusing energy on building relationships with them. The reminder to step outside our comfort zone, listen more carefully, and communicate with clarity really stood out to me.
This book helped me reflect on how I want to grow professionally, especially in learning to influence rather than just execute tasks. It encouraged me to keep a bigger vision in mind and be more intentional about how I spend my time and attention. I would gladly give this book five stars and recommend it to anyone who wants to become a more thoughtful and effective leader.
July 5, 2024
Read it more as an interesting case study in how the modern corporate capitalist world uses the language of psychology and emotions to oil it’s gears and make profit-making more efficient.
Comes across as a distillation of modern therapeutic communication methods/relationship building skills repackaged for capitalism. Interesting…
Quick to read tho, not that boring. You’ll find the same information in books like “Nonviolent Communication” and other self-help and romantic relationship guides. They’re all just using modern psychology/therapeutic language anyway. Was just interesting to see how it was presented here.
Comes across as a distillation of modern therapeutic communication methods/relationship building skills repackaged for capitalism. Interesting…
Quick to read tho, not that boring. You’ll find the same information in books like “Nonviolent Communication” and other self-help and romantic relationship guides. They’re all just using modern psychology/therapeutic language anyway. Was just interesting to see how it was presented here.
February 7, 2024
Thought provoking read with Wisdom
Matt Norman's insights are grounded in fundamental truth. Consistent with my world view, yet challenging for me to be more consistent in my leadership attitudes, behaviors, and coaching. Lead With Influence is a great read for all leaders at every level.
My favorite quote, "the goal of leadership and influence: to see people for who they are and help them change to become what they can be."
Matt Norman's insights are grounded in fundamental truth. Consistent with my world view, yet challenging for me to be more consistent in my leadership attitudes, behaviors, and coaching. Lead With Influence is a great read for all leaders at every level.
My favorite quote, "the goal of leadership and influence: to see people for who they are and help them change to become what they can be."
October 14, 2024
This book message: “to influence you should become a coach. And have a coach to coach you how to coach”.
Standard mix of “growth mindset”, “deliberate practice” and similar buzz words.
The funniest was “positive-truth-positive” framework. It took me a few minutes to realise that this PTP framework is actually another name for “shit sandwich”, lol.
Standard mix of “growth mindset”, “deliberate practice” and similar buzz words.
The funniest was “positive-truth-positive” framework. It took me a few minutes to realise that this PTP framework is actually another name for “shit sandwich”, lol.
February 21, 2024
Wonderful read that provides clear calls to action while keeping the reader engaged. This book helps readers guide their leadership journey with practical application. I look forward to reading more of Matt’s work.
February 23, 2026
Awesome. I have been to seminars by Matt and there are great and this book follows his style. My one criticism is that in this book he uses an example of a person who is trying to influence however I found it tough to relate to that person or find the areas of focus in the dialogue.
Super good!!!
Super good!!!
May 10, 2024
Great (timeless) Advice
Matt does a great job distilling some simple and practical steps to influence others. It’s a quick read that I found very beneficial.
Matt does a great job distilling some simple and practical steps to influence others. It’s a quick read that I found very beneficial.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews