Research & commentary
What does credible evidence tell us about persuasion, trust, negotiation, and the way people—and increasingly AI systems—influence decisions?
Read the researchTECHNICAL INFLUENCE · RESEARCH & ADVISORY
Being right is not the same as being influential.
I help cybersecurity, privacy, and technology leaders turn sound recommendations into decisions that get approved, funded, and acted upon—drawing on research in persuasion, negotiation, trust, and executive judgment.
Former privacy and cybersecurity executive · Attorney · Educator · Influence and negotiation practitioner
THE PROBLEM
Good advice does not implement itself.
Technical leaders can be right about the risk, the technology, and the recommendation—and still lose the decision. The obstacle is often not the analysis. It is the way decision-makers interpret the stakes, assess credibility, weigh competing priorities, and decide whether to act.
Technical Influence starts where technical correctness stops: with the people and decisions that determine what happens next.
THE METHOD
Five capabilities. One practical objective: turn expertise into action.
These five capabilities organize my research, teaching, and advisory work. They are a developing applied framework, not a claim that influence can be reduced to a guaranteed formula.
- Understand the decision — Identify who decides, what they value, and which constraints shape the outcome.
- Earn credibility — Establish the expertise, trustworthiness, and relevance necessary to be heard.
- Frame the tradeoff — Translate technical recommendations into choices that matter to decision-makers.
- Navigate resistance — Anticipate objections, competing priorities, and organizational dynamics.
- Secure commitment — Move beyond agreement toward ownership, action, and follow-through.
THE WORK
Research, education, and advisory—connected by a single question.
Technical Influence
How do technical specialists develop the capabilities to move from sound analysis to organizational action?
Explore the frameworkAdvisory & workshops
How can leaders prepare for a real decision, engage the right stakeholders, and make a stronger case?
Work with meSELECTED WRITING
Ideas worth putting to work.
Research commentary and practical analysis on influence, technical leadership, executive judgment, and emerging AI-mediated persuasion.
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Read articleEXPERIENCE IN PRACTICE
Experience on both sides of the decision table.
My perspective comes from more than two decades working across executive leadership, cybersecurity, privacy, law, and teaching. I have seen how technically sound recommendations encounter institutional incentives, risk tolerance, authority, and competing priorities. That experience shapes the questions I research—and the practical methods I teach.
About AnthonyWORK TOGETHER
Have an important decision ahead?
Whether you're preparing a board recommendation, making a funding case, negotiating a difficult risk decision, or developing your team's executive influence, we can start with the decision in front of you.
OCCASIONAL RESEARCH NOTES
What the Research Actually Says
Research on persuasion, trust, negotiation, and decision-making—translated into practical lessons for technical leaders. One useful finding, why it matters, and what you can try.
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