Talent Development Leader
Influence Is Not a Seat—It’s a Skill
Tue May 12 2026
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By design, the talent development function sits at the intersection of strategy, people, and performance. By perception, however, it often sits just outside the center of power. For years, the question has been framed this way: “How can talent development become more influential?”
By design, the talent development function sits at the intersection of strategy, people, and performance. By perception, however, it often sits just outside the center of power. For years, the question has been framed this way: “How can talent development become more influential?”
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But that framing may be the problem. CTDO —ATD’s premier membership for talent development executives who are shaping the future—alongside Executive Advisor and Board Consultant Amii Barnard-Bahn , developed what may be a more accurate and more actionable truth: There is no such thing as “function-level influence.” Influence is individual, intentional, and situational. And it is never granted—it is earned. This shift in thinking has profound implications for how talent development leaders operate, and how they elevate both their own standing and that of their function.
But that framing may be the problem. CTDO—ATD’s premier membership for talent development executives who are shaping the future—alongside Executive Advisor and Board Consultant Amii Barnard-Bahn, developed what may be a more accurate and more actionable truth: There is no such thing as “function-level influence.” Influence is individual, intentional, and situational. And it is never granted—it is earned. This shift in thinking has profound implications for how talent development leaders operate, and how they elevate both their own standing and that of their function.
The Myth: Influence as a Role or Entitlement
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Many talent development leaders operate under an implicit assumption that, “If we do great work, influence will follow.” Or more structurally, “If talent development is important, it should be treated as a top-tier function.” But influence doesn’t work that way. It is not tied to org charts, not proportional to budget or team size, and not automatically conferred by reporting lines. And perhaps most importantly, influence is not static . You don’t “have” influence. You build it over and over again in specific moments, with specific people, around specific decisions.
Many talent development leaders operate under an implicit assumption that, “If we do great work, influence will follow.” Or more structurally, “If talent development is important, it should be treated as a top-tier function.” But influence doesn’t work that way. It is not tied to org charts, not proportional to budget or team size, and not automatically conferred by reporting lines. And perhaps most importantly, influence is not static. You don’t “have” influence. You build it over and over again in specific moments, with specific people, around specific decisions.
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For example, a CTDO may have high formal authority but low influence in key decisions, while a business leader or HRBP may have no formal authority over talent development yet outsized influence over what gets prioritized.
For example, a CTDO may have high formal authority but low influence in key decisions, while a business leader or HRBP may have no formal authority over talent development yet outsized influence over what gets prioritized.
The Reality: Influence Is Built in Moments That Matter
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Influence lives in moments when strategy is being shaped, not merely communicated; when trade-offs are being debated, not just implemented; when risk is being assessed, not simply reported; and when leaders are uncertain, not when they are confident. In those moments, one question determines influence: “Does this person help me think better about what matters right now?”
Influence lives in moments when strategy is being shaped, not merely communicated; when trade-offs are being debated, not just implemented; when risk is being assessed, not simply reported; and when leaders are uncertain, not when they are confident. In those moments, one question determines influence: “Does this person help me think better about what matters right now?”
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If the answer is yes, influence increases. If the answer is no, influence diminishes, regardless of role.
If the answer is yes, influence increases. If the answer is no, influence diminishes, regardless of role.
Three Shifts Talent Development Leaders Can Make
1. From Representing the Function to Serving the Decision
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Too often, TD leaders enter conversations as advocates for learning programs, capability initiatives, and broader talent priorities. But influence doesn’t come from advocacy alone. It comes from helping others make better decisions. That requires a shift:
Too often, TD leaders enter conversations as advocates for learning programs, capability initiatives, and broader talent priorities. But influence doesn’t come from advocacy alone. It comes from helping others make better decisions. That requires a shift:
Content Old Approach Old Approach | Content New Approach New Approach |
Content “Here’s what talent development needs.” “Here’s what talent development needs.” | Content “Here’s what this decision requires.” “Here’s what this decision requires.” |
Content “We should invest in leadership development.” “We should invest in leadership development.” | Content “If we don’t build this capability, this strategy will fail.” “If we don’t build this capability, this strategy will fail.” |
Content “We have a program for that.” “We have a program for that.” | Content “Here are the capability risks you’re facing.” “Here are the capability risks you’re facing.” |
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In the new approach, influential TD leaders don’t push solutions. They clarify consequences.
In the new approach, influential TD leaders don’t push solutions. They clarify consequences.
2. From Owning Programs to Diagnosing Capability Risk
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In Amii’s work, she often emphasizes that influence is rooted in credibility + relevance + timing.
In Amii’s work, she often emphasizes that influence is rooted in credibility + relevance + timing.
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For talent development, credibility comes not from the quality of programs or the elegance of design. It comes from the ability to clearly articulate the risks and the business cost of inaction. This reframes the TD role from provider of development to interpreter of capability risk.
For talent development, credibility comes not from the quality of programs or the elegance of design. It comes from the ability to clearly articulate the risks and the business cost of inaction. This reframes the TD role from provider of development to interpreter of capability risk.
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For instance, a TD leader might say, “We cannot execute this AI strategy with current manager capability.” Or, “Time-to-productivity in this role is slowing growth by X%.” Or, “We are over-indexed on legacy skills in a declining area.” Now the conversation has shifted from an optional investment to a strategic necessity.
For instance, a TD leader might say, “We cannot execute this AI strategy with current manager capability.” Or, “Time-to-productivity in this role is slowing growth by X%.” Or, “We are over-indexed on legacy skills in a declining area.” Now the conversation has shifted from an optional investment to a strategic necessity.
3. From Building Relationships to Earning Trust in High-Stakes Contexts
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Relationships matter, but not all relationships create influence. Influence is built when stakes are high, outcomes are uncertain, and decisions are consequential. In high-stakes moments, leaders look for people who understand the business, see around corners, and tell them what they need to hear—not what they want to hear. This is where influence can be won or lost.
Relationships matter, but not all relationships create influence. Influence is built when stakes are high, outcomes are uncertain, and decisions are consequential. In high-stakes moments, leaders look for people who understand the business, see around corners, and tell them what they need to hear—not what they want to hear. This is where influence can be won or lost.
Six Practices to Earn More Influence
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Here are some ideas grounded in Amii’s thinking and adapted for talent development leaders by the CTDO Advisors.
Here are some ideas grounded in Amii’s thinking and adapted for talent development leaders by the CTDO Advisors.
1. Focus Your Efforts
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Influence is built one person at a time, and not everyone you want to influence will be someone you can. Consider making three lists:
Influence is built one person at a time, and not everyone you want to influence will be someone you can. Consider making three lists:
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People who you must have some influence with (CEO and CHRO, for example)
People who you must have some influence with (CEO and CHRO, for example)
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People with whom you have a good chance of improving your influence.
People with whom you have a good chance of improving your influence.
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People you already have some influence with.
People you already have some influence with.
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Set reasonable expectations for all three groups and plan how you will manage each person in them. And maybe there’s a fourth list; people you will never be able to influence. The plan for that group is how to work around them. (Note: one page Strategic Influence Framework can be referenced here, for folks to self-audit)
Set reasonable expectations for all three groups and plan how you will manage each person in them. And maybe there’s a fourth list; people you will never be able to influence. The plan for that group is how to work around them. (Note: one page Strategic Influence Framework can be referenced here, for folks to self-audit)
2. Be Explicit About the Business, Not Just the People
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This isn’t new; but it is still critical. Many TD leaders are fluent in engagement, learning, and development. Fewer are fluent in margin, growth, risk, and capital allocation. Influence increases when you can express clearly how a capability gap affects revenue, cost, or speed.
This isn’t new; but it is still critical. Many TD leaders are fluent in engagement, learning, and development. Fewer are fluent in margin, growth, risk, and capital allocation. Influence increases when you can express clearly how a capability gap affects revenue, cost, or speed.
3. Show Up Early—Before the Ask
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If you are only engaged when a program is needed or a rollout is planned, you are already too late. Influence grows when you show up earlier—while the problem is still being defined. Influential TD leaders insert themselves upstream and engage when problems are still being defined.
If you are only engaged when a program is needed or a rollout is planned, you are already too late. Influence grows when you show up earlier—while the problem is still being defined. Influential TD leaders insert themselves upstream and engage when problems are still being defined.
4. Bring Insight, Not Just Data, Not Just Solutions
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Executives are swimming in data. They don’t need more. And they don’t need more programs. They need actionable insights. They need clarity, framing, and trade-off awareness. Instead of saying, “Here’s what we should do,” try, “Here is what the data is telling us. Here are the three choices and the implications of each.”
Executives are swimming in data. They don’t need more. And they don’t need more programs. They need actionable insights. They need clarity, framing, and trade-off awareness. Instead of saying, “Here’s what we should do,” try, “Here is what the data is telling us. Here are the three choices and the implications of each.”
5. Make the Invisible Visible
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One of TD’s biggest challenges is that its impact is often hidden. Influential leaders quantify capability gaps, show time-to-skill, surface bottlenecks in talent flow, and highlight risks that others don’t see. If you can’t make it visible, you can’t make it influential.
One of TD’s biggest challenges is that its impact is often hidden. Influential leaders quantify capability gaps, show time-to-skill, surface bottlenecks in talent flow, and highlight risks that others don’t see. If you can’t make it visible, you can’t make it influential.
6. Build a Reputation for Judgment, Not Just Expertise
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Expertise answers questions. Judgment helps leaders decide. The fastest way to build influence is to become known for sound judgment under uncertainty, balanced and business-aware perspectives, and clear, concise recommendations.
Expertise answers questions. Judgment helps leaders decide. The fastest way to build influence is to become known for sound judgment under uncertainty, balanced and business-aware perspectives, and clear, concise recommendations.
A Different Way to Think About the Function
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If influence is individual and situational, what does that mean for talent development as a whole? The function becomes influential when its leaders consistently show up in the critical moments—with the right people, on the right issues—and add value in ways the business cannot ignore. Not because TD was given a seat, restructured, or renamed, but because its leaders chose carefully where to invest their influence capital and became indispensable in those specific relationships and decisions.
If influence is individual and situational, what does that mean for talent development as a whole? The function becomes influential when its leaders consistently show up in the critical moments—with the right people, on the right issues—and add value in ways the business cannot ignore. Not because TD was given a seat, restructured, or renamed, but because its leaders chose carefully where to invest their influence capital and became indispensable in those specific relationships and decisions.
The Bottom Line
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It needs more earned influence, applied selectively. That requires a fundamental shift: from trying to be influential everywhere to being intentional about where influence is actually possible and worth the effort; from delivering learning to shaping high‑stakes decisions; from supporting the business in general to enabling the few outcomes that really move the needle; and from asking for a seat at the table to becoming the person certain tables can’t function without.
It needs more earned influence, applied selectively. That requires a fundamental shift: from trying to be influential everywhere to being intentional about where influence is actually possible and worth the effort; from delivering learning to shaping high‑stakes decisions; from supporting the business in general to enabling the few outcomes that really move the needle; and from asking for a seat at the table to becoming the person certain tables can’t function without.