Learning to Influence: Equipping Leaders to Shape Culture, Not Just Teams

For years, leadership has been defined by the ability to manage outcomes, hit goals, stay on track and ensure tasks are completed efficiently. While these are still important, today’s workplace demands something deeper. We need leaders who can shape a thought process, connect with people on an emotional level and empathize with their situations.

This was the core of our recent Learning to Influence session with Pavan Sriram (Director, L&D – Encora), moderated by Pragya Mishra (AVP Operations, Courseplay). The conversation brought forward a powerful idea:

Leaders don’t just guide teams, they shape the environment in which teams thrive.

Culture is Built in Micro-Moments

Many organizations still assume culture is created at the top, through policies, vision statements or leadership speeches. In reality, culture is built every day. It is reflected in how feedback is given, how failures are handled and how much psychological safety employees feel when speaking up.

Pawan Sriram shared an example of a young professional who, without a formal title, started “story circles” in her team. These open conversations about setbacks created connection, empathy and trust. It was a reminder that influence is not tied to hierarchy; it can emerge anywhere, as long as there is intent and consistency.

From Soft Skills to Power Skills

Traditional leadership programs often emphasize technical know-how or managerial efficiency. But if leaders are to shape culture, they need “power skills”:

• Self-awareness, knowing the signals they send through words, tone and actions
• Empathy, connecting with the human side of work, especially in moments of stress
• Inclusivity, ensuring diverse perspectives are not just heard but valued

These skills cannot be taught through PowerPoints or one-time workshops. They must be learned through practice, reflection and feedback. As Pavan emphasized,

Leadership influence grows when leaders are willing to experiment, stumble and learn alongside their teams.

Influence in Action: Shaping Behaviour, Not Just Outcomes

One example shared during the discussion was of a financial services company where weekly status updates were reimagined. Instead of one-way reporting, the meetings became open forums for questions, learning and cross-team sharing. Over time, employees started contributing beyond their silos. Curiosity became the norm and trust deepened.

That shift didn’t require a new policy; it needed a leader to act differently. By modeling curiosity and openness, leaders created conditions where culture shifted naturally.

How Leaders Can Measure Influence

Unlike performance metrics, cultural influence is harder to quantify. But there are signals leaders can watch for:

• Do employees mirror inclusive and empathetic behaviours?
• Are people contributing ideas, not just executing tasks?
• Do terms like trust, belonging and collaboration start showing up organically in conversations?

These are early indicators that leadership influence is taking root.

Walking the Thought

One of Pavan’s most memorable takeaways was:

“Don’t just walk the talk, walk the thought.”

It is not enough for leaders to act in line with their words. Influence demands inner clarity, knowing what you stand for and ensuring actions consistently reflect that belief. At the same time, feedback is vital. Leaders who invite honest input build not only trust but also resilience in their influence.

The Future of Leadership Development

At Courseplay, we see this shift firsthand. Organizations are moving from training managers to building cultural architects, leaders who create spaces where learning is continuous, innovation thrives and people feel connected to something larger than themselves. Teams deliver results. But culture determines how far those results can take an organization. Influence is the bridge between the two.

What do you think: should leadership programs focus more on culture-shaping skills rather than traditional managerial skills? Share your thoughts below.