Like so many aspects of
leadership, building influence is easier said than done. Less than a month into
her tenure as the Duchess of Sussex, Markle is already exerting her
influence on one of the most staid institutions known to humans: The British
monarchy.
Her wedding to Prince Harry –
perhaps the world’s most eligible bachelor – was celebrated for its diversity
and fairy tale trappings: the diamond tiara originally worn by Queen Mary,
the open carriage rides through the town of Windsor, and the star-studded guest
list.
But beneath the sparkle, a
close analysis of Markle’s approach to her new role reveals her to be a
brilliant practitioner of the rules of influence that any leader
would do well to study.
Like all great leaders, Markle
understands that trust is a fundamental building block of influence. If you
want people to see things your way and hear your message, they need to feel
comfortable in your presence.
Soon after the announcement of
her engagement to Prince Harry, Markle began adopting body-language cues
typical of royalty, such as an increasingly sedate wave or the “duchess
slant”.
The takeaway: Mirroring
the physical cues of people you’re meeting with sends a subtle message
that you understand them and can be trusted.
Outstanding leaders don’t
reinforce the status quo – they paint a new vision. For decades, the royals
have carefully avoided making political statements. But as much as Markle may
employ subtle techniques such as mirroring to fit into her new role, she has
demonstrated from the outset a willingness to defy convention.
A self-described “proud
feminist,” Markle has referenced both the Time’s Up and Me Too movements during
official royal engagements, and reinforced her commitment to women’s
empowerment in her official bio from Kensington Palace.
The takeaway: embrace shrewd
rule-breaking in support of your vision and values. When you show you’re
willing to take a stand in support of what you believe in, you enhance trust
and credibility.
After enduring months of
discriminatory press coverage, the bi-racial Markle masterminded the most
diverse wedding in the history of the British monarchy. Rather than formally
address racially offensive messages, Markle and Prince Harry used the ceremony
itself to reinforce their focus on diversity and inclusion.
Specifically, they employed
the “rule of three” a principle from storytelling whereby a trio of
events is considered more effective than a standalone appearance.
Meghan Markle’s wedding
ceremony included 3 notable appearances from the black community including a
Karen Gibson’s Gospel Kingdom Choir, the Reverend Michael Curry and cellist
Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
The takeaway for you: look for
symbolic opportunities, rather than just your words to reinforce your message.
Don’t let the star-studded
guest list fool you. The royal wedding was a made-for-television affair.
“This was a well-produced show,” says Elaine Lui, a celebrity blogger
who covered the Royal Wedding for CTV. “This should not be surprising
because this woman comes from television and she put show business into that
show.”
By focusing on creating a show
the world could watch, Markle, Prince Harry, and the event team displayed a keen
understanding that the key stakeholders of the monarchy aren’t Hollywood
celebrities or members of the aristocracy, but the media and the public, whose
support of the royals is what keeps them in power.
The lesson for you: when
cultivating influence, go beyond the usual suspects and consider who your most
important stakeholders actually are.
Simply put, a leader without
influence isn’t much of a leader at all. Markle’s example can provide any
leader with useful tips to build influence in even the most sedate
organizational culture.
