Influence, as Catherine Clark explains in this GrowCFO episode, is built through deliberate connection long before numbers appear on a board pack. She highlights how remote and hybrid work have weakened everyday rapport, making trust, recognition, and emotionally intelligent dialogue essential for CFOs to mobilize teams and shape decisions. By consistently practicing small behaviors like gratitude, active listening, and stakeholder mapping, finance leaders can transform connection into strategic leverage that drives alignment, engagement, and stronger performance environments.