Namibian Businesswomen Association Breakfast | 14 August 2026 | Hilton Windhoek
Influence is often associated with position, authority or visibility. But at the latest Namibian Businesswomen Association Breakfast, attendees were challenged to look beyond titles and consider what truly creates lasting influence in the workplace and in business.
Guest speaker Leandri Petrus, HRD Manager at Debmarine Namibia and a trained workplace coach, explored the theme “The Power of Influence: Building Strategic Networks and Partnerships that Create Opportunity.” Her message was both practical and thought-provoking: while a title may open a door, it is our competence, relationships and consistency that determine the influence we ultimately have.
From position to genuine influence
One of the key frameworks explored during the session was John C. Maxwell’s Five Levels of Leadership:
Position → Permission → Production → People Development → Pinnacle
The model illustrates how influence develops over time.
A position may give someone authority, but sustainable influence is built through trust and relationships. As people experience your competence, see the results you deliver, and recognise your willingness to develop and empower others, influence becomes less about the position you hold and more about the person you have become.
Ultimately, the highest level of influence is reflected in the legacy created through others.
Trust is the currency of influence
A central message from the session was that trust is the currency of influence.
Trust cannot be demanded or created overnight. It is earned through consistency, integrity, credibility and genuine interest in others.
This is particularly important in today’s workplace, where collaboration increasingly crosses organisational, professional and industry boundaries. People are more likely to collaborate with, recommend and support individuals they know they can trust.
Influence, therefore, is not about manipulation or persuading people to do what we want. Authentic influence begins with understanding people, building meaningful relationships and creating value.
Your network is an ecosystem
The breakfast also challenged the traditional idea of networking as simply collecting contacts.
A large contact list does not necessarily translate into influence or opportunity.
Instead, women were encouraged to think of their network as an ecosystem of relationships—one in which people can exchange knowledge, introductions, opportunities, expertise and support.
The question changes from:
“Who do I know?”
to:
“What value can we create together?”
That shift is important. Strategic networking is not transactional; it is about identifying areas of shared interest and finding ways to contribute to one another’s growth.
Influence starts with contribution
Another important takeaway was that influence often begins with a simple act of contribution.
- An introduction.
- A recommendation.
- Sharing knowledge.
- Opening a door for someone.
- Offering support when it is needed.
These actions may seem small, but over time they build relationship currency—the trust and goodwill that strengthen professional relationships.
The most influential people are not necessarily those who ask for the most. They are often those who consistently create value for others.
From inspiration to action: The Influence Map
The morning moved from discussion to practical application through an interactive Influence Map activity.
Participants were asked to identify three relationships that matter to their future growth or impact, consider the current level of influence within each relationship, and then think about what the other person values, needs or is trying to achieve.
The next question was perhaps the most important:
What value can I contribute before asking for anything?
Participants then identified what moving each relationship one level higher could look like and committed to one specific action to take within seven days.
The exercise reinforced a powerful principle: Influence is built before you need it.
It encouraged participants to be more intentional about relationships rather than waiting until an opportunity arises to reach out.
The shift from “me” to “we”
The conversation also introduced the idea of a “We-dership” mindset—moving from an individual focus towards collective contribution.
In a business environment increasingly shaped by collaboration, partnerships and interconnected networks, success is rarely achieved alone.
The strongest leaders understand that their influence grows when they help others succeed.
This means asking:
- Who can I support?
- Who can I connect to an opportunity?
- Where can I add value?
- What can we achieve together?
- Who can I help develop?
What does influence mean for women?
For women in business and leadership, the conversation around influence is particularly relevant.
Technical competence and hard work remain fundamental, but they need to be accompanied by visibility, relationships, credibility and intentional leadership.
Being excellent at what you do is important. Ensuring that your contribution is recognised, building relationships beyond your immediate circle, and becoming someone others trust and recommend are equally important components of professional growth.
As the breakfast demonstrated, influence is not something that simply comes with seniority. It is something we build, relationship by relationship.
A reminder to invest in relationships
The breakfast left attendees with a simple but powerful challenge: to rethink the way they approach their professional networks.
Instead of only asking “Who do I know?”, consider:
- What am I doing with the relationships I have?
- Who am I intentionally building relationships with?
- Where can I contribute value?
- Who can I connect to an opportunity?
- What partnerships can we create together?
These questions shift networking from an activity to a leadership practice.
Influence creates movement. Relationships create impact.
The Namibian Businesswomen Association Breakfast continues to provide a platform where women can learn from experienced leaders, exchange ideas, develop meaningful relationships and support one another’s growth.
The August breakfast was a reminder that influence is not about having the loudest voice or the most senior title. It is built through trust, competence, consistency, contribution and genuine relationships.
And sometimes, the next opportunity begins with something as simple as one meaningful conversation.