Influence is a critical tool for lab managers, but it’s not something you can demand or delegate. Whether you’re leading change, motivating staff, or presenting a business case to senior leadership, your ability to persuade hinges on trust, credibility, and communication.

For lab managers juggling competing priorities across departments, mastering the art of persuasion can mean the difference between stalled initiatives and meaningful progress. 

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This article explores proven strategies to build trust, communicate with impact, and lead with influence—skills that April Day, senior director of laboratory medicine at Geisinger Health System, has honed over 17 years in the lab, including more than a decade in leadership. Drawing from her experience managing operations across eight hospitals and five rapid response labs, Day shared these insights during her presentation at the 2025 Lab Manager Leadership Summit, offering practical guidance for navigating complex dynamics and driving meaningful change.

Trust and credibility as the foundation

Day emphasizes that persuasion begins with trust, not authority. In lab settings where high-stakes decisions and changes are common, people follow leaders they trust, not just those with titles.

Trust is built through transparency, consistency, and empathy. Admitting mistakes, owning gaps in knowledge, and elevating subject matter experts builds psychological safety and credibility.

Consistency—between what you say and what you do—is equally essential. “Make sure that your actions match your words,” says Day. If a leader sets expectations but behaves differently, staff quickly spot the contradiction.

Communication that moves people

Effective communication, Day explains, involves much more than words. Referencing the widely cited Mehrabian model, she reminded attendees that only seven percent of a message is conveyed through words. Tone and body language account for the rest. For lab managers, how you show up in a room can set the tone for your entire team.

Day urges leaders to be intentional in how they present themselves each day. Walking into a meeting with low energy or disengaged body language signals to staff that the discussion doesn’t matter—or worse, that they don’t matter. But when leaders show up with purpose, greet people sincerely, and bring energy to conversations, it encourages others to do the same.

She also encourages managers to listen for what isn’t said. A flat “I’m fine” paired with slumped shoulders should prompt a check-in, not a dismissal. Following up, showing concern, and staying with the conversation—rather than treating it as a checkbox—can open the door to honesty and trust.

Leaders must also communicate with belief. “If you walk into a room with doubt in your mind that you belong in there, especially if you're trying to ask for something, and [have] doubt in your team and doubt in yourself, everyone in that room is going to doubt you,” explains Day. Whether presenting to the C-suite or mentoring staff, conviction matters. And so does audience awareness. A CFO may prioritize ROI; nurses care about patient safety. Tailor your message accordingly—and use compelling visuals. In one example, Day used Pareto charts and cost data to show how a few collectors were driving the most blood culture contaminations. This simple shift to visually show the impact sparked engagement, alignment, and action system-wide.

Navigating influence and power dynamics

In large or matrixed systems, Day warns, misunderstanding power structures leads to stalled initiatives. Know who the decision-makers are. Know the departments or individuals who actually hold influence—formally or informally.

Sometimes, success means stepping aside. If another leader has more credibility with a key group, Day suggests asking them to deliver the pitch. It’s not about owning the idea, it’s about getting the desired result that will benefit the group.

Day emphasizes the importance of recognizing and engaging informal influencers—those team members who may not hold formal titles but whose opinions carry weight among their peers. These individuals often shape team culture, guide attitudes toward change, and influence whether new initiatives gain traction or stall.

Rather than viewing these voices as obstacles, Day encourages lab managers to build trust with them and find ways to involve them meaningfully. When influencers are given ownership of a process or project, they’re more likely to champion it—and others are more likely to follow. Earning their support early can help shift team dynamics, ease resistance, and accelerate buy-in from the broader group. Trusted peers, after all, often move the needle faster than top-down directives.

Final takeaways

Leadership in the lab is about relationships, not control. It’s built on trust, lived through consistent action, and multiplied through others. As Day reminded attendees, “If you lead with integrity and prioritize honesty, transparency, and accountability in your everyday actions. . .the team will follow.”

Lab managers looking to strengthen their impact should focus on:

• Transparency and consistency as the bedrock of trust
• Tailored communication that matches tone, language, and visuals to the audience
• Practical systems to promote accountability and shared ownership
• Strategic collaboration, including knowing when to step back and let others lead

By mastering these elements, lab leaders can drive real, lasting change in complex environments—and bring their teams along with them.