A power of good

Robert Dilenschneider is uniquely placed to speak on the subject of power and influence. The former Hill & Knowlton CEO is today chairman of his own company, the Dilenschneider Group, and a renowned communications guru who has advised some of the world's top CEOs and decision makers. He is also a bestselling and prolific author. Indeed, the first book he ever wrote, Power and Influence, hit the bestseller list, and now he has revisited the theme with a new book: Power and Influence: The Rules Have Changed.

“Most of the rules of the earlier book are now over, they're passé," he tells me when we meet in his offices in the Met Life building in New York. "And the reason they're passé is technology. There are so many tools out there now in cyberspace; you have to understand and take advantage of them."

This point forms the basis of the first of the book's 10 rules, but he is quick to point out that technology is just the tool. "You can have the greatest technology in the world, the greatest mastery of technology, but if you don't have good content you're dead. There are tens of millions of bloggers and people on Youtube and people doing podcasts, and none of it gets read or seen or ingested, and the reason for that is there's no content.

“Everything begins with content, and that all starts with a good education in places like UCD. When you have the mastery of content and the mastery of persuasion, you can then use technology to reach a totally different group of people than you might otherwise have."

Dilenschneider believes content is also one of the keys to developing strong networks and relationships. "Everybody has to be creative. "You have to come up with something on a regular basis and provide it to your network and when your network responds to you, you respond again. You can develop deep relationships based on content which has substance and which is useful to your network."

He adds that this can be useful tool for young professionals who are still a little shy of getting out there and shaking hands. "There are people who develop their networks without ever meeting anybody. They develop them with content and substance, sending information to people which is meaningful. It's a great way to connect."

He has his own singular take on the concept, and on public holidays will send messages to contacts that relate to the day in question. "So in the US I will talk about the meaning of the Fourth of July, or of Father's Day and Mother's Day. I talk to them with content and it invariably gets through."

Another unique practice in today's world of emails and texts is that Dilenschneider likes to correspond with people through handwritten notes - 30 to 40 a day, he tells me. Far from being borne out of technophobia - he also employs everything from blogging to a Blackberry - this is a very conscious relationship builder.

“How many handwritten letters do you get in the mail?" he asks. "People get very few handwritten letters these days. It's all about email. If you really want to break through, look for a clever or contrarian way of doing it. And since nobody gets handwritten notes, write them one."

The book itself deals with many of these ideas, but overall it is about gaining and wielding power in a "warp-speed world that has been transformed by technology", while also being in a position to have a positive impact on society.

Having dealt with some of the world's most powerful decision makers, leaders and corporations, Dilenschneider's book abounds with anecdotes about everyone from Nixon to Ghandi, all of which go to illustrate the 10 fundamental rules he has laid out for the attainment and exercise of power. We cannot hope to summarise the great detail involved, but below we touch on the 10 rules of power and influence.

1. Accept, adapt and accelerate - or atrophy
Dilenschneider points to the rapid and massive changes taking place throughout the world, not just as regards technology and the online revolution, but also in terms of demographics and social class. One example cited is that, today, India's 400 million-strong middle class is greater than the population of the US.

Any ambitious professional must inform him or herself as to what is happening and changing in the world, through extensive reading and blogs. "Technology must only be an enabler. It's not a substitute for clear thinking," he writes. "A BlackBerry or Treo makes it possible to communicate instantly with someone 10,000 miles away, but your message has to be clear for it to make sense."

Dilenschneider himself reads 11 newspapers a day and six at weekends, while he is also an avid reader of blogs like the Huffington Post. "Why is all this important? It teaches us how to think, how to organise, how to express an argument and how to observe the world as it evolves around us."

2. Be prepared to start over - again and again
You may be on top now, but power can disappear quickly, says Dilenschneider. "You must be ready to fight again even if you've been knocked over or knocked out," he says. He talks honestly about his own 'professional crisis' when changes in ownership at Hill & Knowlton saw him leave his high-powered role and suddenly find himself unemployed. Of course, losing your job or your company is a huge blow to the ego, he says, but it should be used to renew your sense of who you are and what is important to you, and remember that sometimes losing a position is an opportunity. Bet on yourself and your dreams, he says. When you are up again, remember what that feels like, and extend a helping hand to others who are down.

3. Think innovation - forget about just keeping up
The days when you could simply focus on your own industry are past, and technological advances mean you now have to be ahead of the curve. It is no longer sufficient to be up to speed on current technologies and trends; you must always be looking to the horizon, he argues. Identifying the right sources of information is key for this, and developing a filter for that information, given the amount of ‘gibberish' out there. Dilenschneider recommends not only reading the business press, but also checking out alternative publications. He advises seeking out creative thinkers and trying to meet them in person.

4. Seize the opportunity in every crisis
Crises happen every week, says Dilenschneider, adding that any power player must seek the opportunity in such a situation. Find personal and political ways to adapt, from yoga or meditation to creating social change, and help others and hope they'll help you. Also, to solve crises and gain power, don't focus on power, focus on the root of the crisis.

5. Look beyond the new rules to connect
Despite the rapid developments in technology and communication, Dilenschneider says one thing in the world has not changed - "the importance of treating people with respect and courtesy". While the connection may take new forms, like blogs, podcasts and social networking sites, being a gracious, decent, honest person will not only be good for you personally but will increase your power and influence, he says.

6. Take the heat and never compromise
The digital age has given voice to those who thrive on attacking others. "Precisely because the blogosphere has created an open, unfiltered megaphone for anyone with a computer and a modem, a striking characteristic of modern times is an unseemly incivility," Dilenschneider laments. However, he says, the key thing here is not the severity of an attack but how you deal with it. "Tell the truth at all times," he told me when we met. "If there's negative information that's unfounded out there on the web, you have to counter it swiftly with the truth." And remember that what is most important is your values, not what others say about you.

7. Keep focusing on your strengths
All human beings ultimately have flaws, but the key is to identify your strong areas and exploit these. Dilenschneider himself says he identified his as "the ability to do timely research and the ability to be patient in a conversation", and today he brings these strengths to all projects he undertakes. However, real power players can also show their strength by being magnanimous and yielding a little. Dilenschneider quotes one of his many contacts over the years, Walter Reuther, head of the United Automobile Workers, who once told him "the Japanese will tell you they never want to win 100pc - they'll take 95pc and give the other side 5pc".

8. Keep growing your network by shaving it
“There's no substitute for a powerful network that embraces and even nurtures you. You cannot do it alone," Dilenschneider begins this chapter. However, not all contacts continue to be useful so the real art is to manage and cull your network dispassionately, although he of course does not include personal friends in this. He advises that you start developing your network early in your career, seek people who share your interests and ask those you respect, like your professors, to introduce you to others. Join organisations, seek mentors and share your own knowledge and experience with others. Generosity will expand your network.

9. Seek acclaim but practise humility
When you do attain a level of power, Dilenschneider advises that you practise a healthy level of humility. "There are many people whose egos become bigger than they should; they believe their own press. That is a big mistake." He recommends that power players treat everyone with respect, and help those who are down. This, he says, is both humane and practical: You never know who will become a friend or a useful client.

10. Search for power but never forget to share it
Ultimately Dilenschneider concludes that "the best power players have enduring professional values". They are also generous with their good fortune and power. "Whether you give back money, time, insight, energy or connections, you have to give back because it's the right thing to do. You got there because a lot of people helped you."

Robert Dilenschneider is a member of the North American Advisory Board of the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, and founder and chairman of the Dilenschneider Group.

This article first appeared in Business Connections, the UCD Business Alumni magazine: www.ucd.ie/businessalumni