Becoming a Key Person of Influence
A 6-Month Workbook for Professionals Who Want to Stand Out (Without Burning Out)
Introduction: Why Influence Beats Noise
Every profession has its unsung heroes. The people who quietly keep the lights on, steer projects, deliver results — yet remain invisible when opportunities, recognition, and pay rises are handed out. You may even be one of them. Competent, diligent, respected in your corner… but not exactly known outside it.
Meanwhile, theres always that person. You know the type. They seem to get invited onto every panel, quoted in the press, mentioned in corridors, or tagged endlessly on LinkedIn. They don’t necessarily work harder than you. They don’t necessarily know more. But they’re seen as a voice that matters.
Thats what Daniel Priestley calls a Key Person of Influence (KPI). Roger Delves would frame it in leadership terms: influence is not about shouting the loudest, its about how others respond to you, follow your lead, and seek your input when decisions matter.
Heres the truth: in an era of digital noise, visibility matters as much as ability. People who master both become the ones with career leverage — they attract projects, partnerships, promotions, and, yes, sometimes envy.
This workbook is designed to help you move deliberately from capable professional to Key Person of Influence over the next six months. No gimmicks. No “fake it till you make it.” Just structured steps, reflective exercises, and a little humour to keep it human.
How to Use This Workbook
Grab a notebook, journal, or digital doc — you'll need space for the reflection prompts.
- Each section ends with Reflection & Action Points: do not skip them. Thinking + doing = momentum.
If you already work with a coach, use these exercises as fuel for sessions. If you dont… by the end of this guide, you might wonder why not.
- Part 1. What Does It Mean to Be a Key Person of Influence?
Being good at your job is okay. Being seen as the person to talk to in your field is another level. KPIs aren't necessarily the most senior people in the room. Nor are they always the most extroverted. But they carry a certain gravitational pull.
Think of them as the people who:
Set the tone in meetings, even if they don't chair them.
- Have ideas that ripple beyond their team.
- Get sought out for advice by people outside their department.
- Have a profile beyond their job description — articles, talks, podcasts, community involvement.
- Roger Delves would remind us that leadership today is relational, not positional. It’s less about where you sit in the hierarchy, more about how you connect and create meaning for others. Priestley takes that into the marketplace: people who package their ideas and communicate them well rise above the noise.
Two quick examples:
Healthcare (UK): A consultant anaesthetist starts publishing short LinkedIn posts about patient safety checklists. Within a year, she's invited to speak at a national conference. She's still doing her clinical work, but she's now seen as a voice of authority in safety.
Tech (US): A mid-level software engineer creates a blog on “practical AI ethics.” He's not a VP. He's not even a manager. But he builds such a following that industry leaders quote his work. His career trajectory bends upwards.
Neither person changed their core competence. They simply became visible, credible, and consistent.
Reflection & Action Points
List three people in your profession who are seen as “go-to” voices. What do they have in common?
- Now ask yourself: if someone outside my immediate circle was asked to name a key person in my field, would my name come up? Why or why not?
Action: Pick one “influence gap” you can start closing (e.g. not sharing work publicly, not networking, avoiding visibility).