November Member Dinner Meeting - Empathy Is Your Power Tool: Influencing Without Authority

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November Member Dinner Meeting - Empathy Is Your Power Tool: Influencing Without Authority

Power Skills

Business Acumen

Agenda

6:00-6:30 pm - Networking and Dinner

6:30-6:45 pm - Chapter Announcements

6:45-7:45 pm - Speaker Presentation and Q&A

7:45-8:00 pm - Closing Activities

Presentation Overview:

Topic: Empathy Is Your Power Tool: Influencing Without Authority

We've all been there. We lack formal authority, yet we need to drive outcomes across teams, departments, and personalities. This session explores how empathy becomes your most strategic advantage in that gap. Learn how to build trust quickly, inspire ownership, and guide collaboration through coaching rather than control.

Drawing on real-world experience leading cross-functional and franchise teams without direct oversight, Nikki shares practical frameworks for motivating peers, navigating resistance, and shaping outcomes through influence. Attendees will leave equipped to turn soft skills into measurable impact and lead with clarity, confidence, and genuine connection.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the role of empathy in influence-based leadership
Apply the GROW coaching model to drive ownership and accountability
Practice key influence tactics for cross-functional and peer relationships
Navigate resistance and disengagement with confidence and compassion

About Our Speaker:

Speaker - Nicole Duncan

I turn complexity into clarity and workflows into results. As a strategic operator and systems builder, I specialize in aligning cross-functional teams, translating analytics into action, and scaling people-first solutions. With experience as a Chief of Staff, Director of Operations, and trusted executive partner, I have supported over $25 million in decisions, led more than 60 initiatives across 100 locations, and guided teams through everything from tech overhauls to tornadoes.

My approach pairs emotional intelligence with operational grit. I thrive in the challenging space between vision and execution, where strategy often stalls, and bring structure that feels both stable and scalable. From reducing administrative workloads by 50 percent to improving franchisee engagement by 32 percent, my focus is on sustainable, human-centered growth.

Whether you need to scale without breaking what is working, align leadership around shared goals, or navigate high-stakes change, I am here to help. Let’s create the clarity and momentum your team needs to move forward.

Member Type	Regular
Chapter Members	$25
Non-Members	$35

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