WEP 263 Intentional Influence an Interveiw with Bobby Dodd and Dr. Ben Johnson on The Wired Educator Podcast
Leadership Is Personal And So Is This Podcast Episode
There’s something funny about leadership.
Sometimes the biggest moments in your life are not on a stage, in a boardroom, or standing behind a microphone. Sometimes they happen while holding a newborn baby in your arms.
Over the past few weeks, I took a little break from creating content, podcasting, and posting online because I’ve been spending time with someone very special. My beautiful new granddaughter, Margot, arrived in April and changed everything about how I see the world.
And let me tell you something.
Being called Poppy might be one of the greatest titles I’ve ever received.
It changes you. It slows you down in all the right ways. It reminds you what matters. It reminds you that leadership is not just about influence in schools, organizations, or conferences. Leadership is also about legacy, love, family, and the moments that truly shape who we become.
But now I’m back.
And I’m excited to share a brand new episode of The Wired Educator Podcast with you.
Episode 263: Intentional Influence
This episode is packed with ideas about how to build trust, create meaningful influence, and develop organizations where people actually want to belong and contribute. My guests are Bobby Dodd and Dr. Ben Johnson, and they are the authors of Intentional Influence: Harnessing Culture Mapping to Build Commitment. They bring incredible insight and practical wisdom that school leaders, teachers, and organizational leaders can apply immediately to their work.
If you’ve ever wondered how to build trust in organizations, how to create meaningful influence, how to better understand the hidden dynamics inside teams and schools, or how leaders move from guessing to truly understanding people, then this episode is for you.
Listen or Watch
You can listen to this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/WiredEducatorPodcast
You can also find it on Apple Podcasts at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wired-educator-podcast/id1234567890
Listen on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/show/YOUR_SPOTIFY_SHOW_ID
Or listen on Libsyn at https://wired-educator.libsyn.com/
Featured Book
Bobby and Ben discuss culture mapping, influence, trust, and how leaders can stop guessing and start leading with greater clarity. If you would like to support the show while picking up a copy of their book, you can use my Amazon Associates link below.
Intentional Influence: Harnessing Culture Mapping to Build Commitment by Bobby Dodd and Dr. Ben Johnson
Your purchases through this link support the podcast at no extra cost to you.
What You’ll Learn
Bobby and Ben break down culture mapping in a way that makes sense. It’s the process of visually identifying who has influence in your organization, where commitment exists, and where resistance lives. It’s not about labeling people or putting them in boxes. It’s about understanding the real relationships, the invisible connections, and the professional capital that drive your school or organization forward.
They show you how to map the flow of influence and commitment across your staff. They help you identify who your influencers are, both the people with formal authority and the ones who lead from the hallways and the lunchroom. They teach you how to build relationships intentionally instead of reactively. They create entry points for meaningful change. They move people from disengagement toward commitment and from resistance toward belief in what you’re trying to build.
The best part is that you don’t have to overhaul your entire calendar or your school to make this work. Start with one thing. Start with meetings. Start with relationships. That’s where the real work begins.
Why This Matters Right Now
If you’re feeling the weight of mid-year, this conversation is for you. Bobby and Ben remind us that leadership is fundamentally relational work. Trust is currency. Influence flows through connection, not authority.
And as Poppy looking at the world Margot will inherit, I’m more convinced than ever that the leaders we become, the cultures we build, and the people we invest in matter more than we realize. We’re not just leading schools or organizations. We’re shaping the future for the next generation.
Thank You
Thank you for continuing to support The Wired Educator Podcast, my books, my speaking events, my coaching work, and this growing community of educators and leaders. I truly appreciate every message, every listener, every subscriber, and every person trying to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
And now I’ve got another little reason to keep building something meaningful for the future. Her name is Margot. And Poppy is pretty motivated these days.
Ready to level up your leadership? Visit kellycroy.com to learn about speaking, coaching, keynotes, and more. You can reach me at kelly@kellycroy.com.
~ Kelly
Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. You can sign-up for his email here. • Invite Kelly to speak at your event! • Explore the resources on his website: www.kellycroy.com. • Check out all of Kelly’s content here: https://linktr.ee/kellycroy
