Influencing with credibility and impact in projects
Intermediate –designed for project and change professionals who want to strengthen their ability to influence others, communicate with confidence, and lead effectively in complex organisational environments.
Suitable for Project Managers, Programme Managers, Change Managers, PMO professionals, Team Leaders, Business Analysts, Sponsors, and anyone responsible for securing support, building commitment, and influencing decisions across projects and programmes.
Two days – Delivered as an interactive classroom, virtual classroom, or blended learning experience, combining practical exercises, self-reflection, facilitated discussion, and real-world project application.
Projects are delivered through people, and people rarely act simply because they have been instructed to do so. Whether engaging stakeholders, influencing sponsors, navigating competing priorities, or leading through uncertainty, project professionals must develop the ability to build trust and create confidence in their ideas and decisions. This course explores the critical relationship between credibility, communication, influence, and leadership within modern project environments.
Participants will examine how influence is created through behaviour, reputation, expertise, authenticity, and communication. The programme explores why some individuals naturally gain support while others struggle to secure commitment, helping delegates understand how their own style, approach, and presence affect their ability to shape outcomes and guide decision-making.
Drawing on CITI’s Beyond Method® thinking, the course moves beyond traditional project management techniques to focus on the human dynamics that determine success. Delegates learn how to influence thinking, challenge assumptions constructively, build alignment, and develop the confidence required to lead conversations that matter.
Beyond Method is learning constructed using our own best practice created from our inception as a specialist university institute in 1983; fusing the expertise of Cranfield University with the interests of six major users of change management: British Aerospace, British Gas, British Petroleum, British Telecom, Cable & Wireless and Longman.
A significant amount of research and investment was made into Cranfield Information Technology Institute (shortened to CITI in 1988) to take change professionals beyond methodologies – and learn how to successfully implement change!
The programme explores the foundations of influence and credibility, helping participants understand how trust is formed and how personal reputation affects stakeholder perceptions. Delegates will assess their current influencing style and explore techniques for developing executive presence, professional confidence, and leadership impact within project settings.
Participants will learn how to communicate persuasively, adapt messages for different audiences, present recommendations with confidence, and influence decisions without relying on position or authority. The course examines stakeholder psychology, communication preferences, political awareness, negotiation techniques, and approaches for securing commitment from diverse stakeholder groups.
Additional topics include communicating under pressure, handling resistance, managing difficult conversations, creating compelling narratives, building stakeholder confidence, challenging assumptions respectfully, and influencing outcomes in complex and uncertain environments. Practical tools and models are introduced throughout to support immediate workplace application.
CITI’s Beyond Method® philosophy recognises that successful project leaders do more than apply tools and processes. They understand people, relationships, motivation, and the realities of organisational behaviour. Influence is therefore treated not as a technique to be deployed but as a capability developed through experience, reflection, self-awareness, and purposeful action.
Learning is highly interactive and experiential. Participants are encouraged to apply concepts to their own projects and professional situations, enabling them to explore genuine influencing challenges in a safe and supportive environment. Facilitated discussions, practical exercises, diagnostics, role-play activities, and peer learning help delegates develop both confidence and capability.
Throughout the programme, participants are challenged to think differently about leadership and influence. Rather than focusing solely on authority or position, the course helps delegates build authentic credibility, communicate with clarity, and develop the presence needed to create commitment and drive successful project outcomes. Participants leave with practical techniques, increased self-awareness, and a personal action plan for strengthening their influence across projects, programmes, and organisational change initiatives.
Ready to increase your influence and professional impact?
Discover how CITI’s Influencing with Credibility and Impact in Projects course can help your teams communicate more effectively, gain stakeholder commitment, build lasting credibility, and achieve better project outcomes.
Contact us today to discuss your learning requirements or arrange a course consultation.
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