WE ALL KNOW the importance of building relationships with our clients as a prelude to winning business and seeing it grow. We attend seminars, read extensively and even participate in day-long training programmes on the subject. Management teams hold lengthy strategy sessions to devise better ways of ensuring long-term relationships exist, and that sales personnel develop them proactively. 

BEING ABLE TO exert influence is an essential skill in the modem business world. Managers leading a team, colleagues looking for cooperation and employees angling for a promotion all need to know how to influence others.