All of these suggestions are potentially useful, but unfortunately it's also necessary, especially during tough times that can make the workplace more competitive, to be wary of those who will take those good intentions and leverage them purely to their own benefit. Extra effort, transparency, and sharing credit are generally good things, but not all organizations and individuals will value those qualities. Instead, some will take advantage of them.

So, the good workplaces will recognize and valorize those traits in their employees. Some of the more dysfunctional ones will not.

David Yamada
Professor of Law and Director, New Workplace Institute
Suffolk University Law School
Host of "Minding the Workplace" at http://newworkplace.wordpress.com.

Ben defines this interesting and important subject as “cultivating your ability to influence others to be cooperative and collaborative when you do not directly or even indirectly supervise them”.

It is as fascinating to be looking into influence without EXERCISING authority. Fair-mindedness, transparency, an attainment of knowledge-based authority, and reciprocity principles are still applied, but now transformed into the domain of major leadership and management skills. An alternative to pulling ranks, which is as efficient an influencing technique, is neither obvious nor easy. It requires real skills. It needs to be taught.

I also very much appreciate David’s point on the risks involved. At the same time, the principle of proportionality of expected returns to risk is fully applicable here. It is often worth taking risks. We must be also reminded that taking too much risk led the world into the global economic crisis.

Ed Gokhman