Influence implies control or power. Many in Washington think the only way to project this is through formal, direct mechanisms or statements. However, there are hidden powers of influence at your command, and they can be learned! In this workshop, Matthew Kohut will help participants find those hidden qualities and give real world examples of how to do it right, including body language and rhetorical devices. This session will provide you with practical skills to help you communicate more effectively with both colleagues and external stakeholders.

Participants will learn:

• How to balance projecting warmth and strength – the principal criteria on which social judgements hinge;
• Effective methods for getting people to genuinely listen to you;
• The difference between formal and informal influence.

To RSVP for this event, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

This program is only open to senior House staff - Lunch will be served

About the Presenter

Matthew Kohut is the managing partner of KNP Communications and co-author of Compelling People, which is required reading at both Harvard Business School and Columbia Business School. He has coached public figures ranging from Members of Congress to presenters at TED talks, and has served as a speechwriter for leaders in the government, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. He has written for (or been quoted in) publications including Harvard Business Review, Newsweek, Fast Company, CNN, and Forbes.

Compelling People: The Hidden Qualities that Make Us Influential offers a wealth of practical approaches for understanding and improving how each of us presents ourselves to the world."—Cheryl Strauss Einhorn, Columbia Business School

More Information

The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to building trust and effectiveness in Congress. CMF does not employ or retain a registered lobbyist. Our programs comply with both House and Senate ethics rules and laws, allowing staff to attend.