Instead of pushing advice, the most effective initial strategy with an unwilling team is to simply observe. This 'pull-based' approach builds trust and rapport, making the team more receptive when they eventually ask for your input, rather than feeling like you're forcing changes on them.

Leaders often feel they must have all the answers, which stifles team contribution. A better approach is to hire domain experts smarter than you, actively listen to their ideas, and empower them. This creates a culture where everyone learns and the entire company's performance rises.

Lloyd Blankfein argues that gaining the genuine support of your team ("managing down") is more critical for success than pleasing those above you. An empowered team will proactively help you succeed, which is more valuable than superiors merely hoping you succeed.

To resolve a strong disagreement with a senior engineer, 'disagree and commit.' Execute their plan diligently. This either proves you wrong or makes the plan's flaws so apparent that reversing the decision becomes the logical next step, earning you trust and credibility in the process.

Instead of solving problems brought by their team, effective leaders empower them by shifting ownership. After listening to an issue, the immediate next step is to ask the team to propose a viable solution. This builds their problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.

When an engineer proposes a flawed idea, directly saying "no" can cause resentment. A more effective leadership technique is to ask guiding questions about potential impacts. This allows the individual to discover the flaws themselves, fostering independent problem-solving and preserving their autonomy and confidence.

To avoid influencing their team's feedback, leaders should adopt the practice of being the last person to share their opinion. This creates a psychologically safe environment where ideas are judged on merit, not on alignment with the leader's preconceived notions, often making the best decision obvious.

The most satisfying outcome of influence is not receiving credit, but witnessing a colleague who initially resisted your idea later advocate for it with conviction, believing it to be their own. This indicates you've planted a seed that grew into genuine alignment, not forced compliance.

One of the most effective ways to build trust and demonstrate a senior, company-first mindset is to proactively kill your own initiatives. This shows you share the same incentives as leadership—optimizing for company outcomes, not just protecting your own projects and accumulating resources.