Professional courage and influence: plain text
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From: Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation
- Published on: 2 April 2025
- Last updated on: 14 May 2025
Showing courage to speak up and skilfully influencing others to gain buy-in
Courage
Level 1: At this level you’ll understand:
Contribute views and opinions clearly to others
Level 2: At this level you’ll understand:
Contribute to discussions and respond to questions in an informed and confident way
Level 3: At this level you’ll understand:
Challenge constructively and confidently in the face of opposition
Level 4: At this level you’ll understand:
Advocate for safe challenge at all levels to enable a speak-up culture
Communication
Level 1: At this level you’ll understand:
Provide a range of information accurately and in a timely way
Level 2: At this level you’ll understand:
Communicate key information and your ideas in a clear and engaging way
Level 3: At this level you’ll understand:
Communicate with impact, and make complex things clear, to enable a way forward
Level 4: At this level you’ll understand:
Take a visible lead in communicating complex and difficult issues for the benefit of the organisation
Stakeholder relationships
Level 1: At this level you’ll understand:
Initiate purposeful conversations with a range of people
Level 2: At this level you’ll understand:
Take steps to engage regularly with key stakeholders to understand their preferred approach and needs
Level 3: At this level you’ll understand:
Proactively develop and sustain relationships with key stakeholders to inform how you influence them
Level 4: At this level you’ll understand:
Build and leverage a network of relationships with current and future influencers and internal and external stakeholders
Influencing approach
Level 1: At this level you’ll understand:
Recognise the impact of different influencing styles and methods in a range of situations
Level 2: At this level you’ll understand:
Consider potential reactions and resistance to inform how and when you influence others
Level 3: At this level you’ll understand:
Tailor your influencing style and select appropriate channels to engage your audience and gain buy-in
Level 4: At this level you’ll understand:
Use a wide range of influencing styles and strategies to secure commitment across and outside your organisation
Accountability
Level 1: At this level you’ll understand:
Take responsibility for your work and raise concerns early
Level 2: At this level you’ll understand:
Take responsibility for work and identify issues, solutions and learnings
Level 3: At this level you’ll understand:
Enable learning from mistakes and take ownership for making things better for the future
Level 4: At this level you’ll understand:
Create a culture of accountability ensuring ownership for improvement and learning