#167 Jul 22, 26

The Influence Playbook: Josh Resnik on Trust, Listening, and Leadership

What creates influence in a world overflowing with information?

In this episode of Chief Influencer®, Anthony Shop sits down with Josh Resnik to discuss how leaders can build trust, navigate complexity, and make better decisions in an increasingly volatile political and regulatory environment. Josh spent nearly a decade at FiscalNote in multiple executive roles, including General Counsel, COO, and ultimately CEO and President, before stepping down in June 2026. Drawing on a career that spans law, media, technology, business development, and executive leadership, Josh shares lessons on communication, stakeholder management, and why influence is often the result of listening rather than persuading.

The conversation explores the future of public affairs, the growing role of AI in decision-making, and why trusted information has become a competitive advantage. Josh also explains why the most effective leaders focus on solving problems, helping others succeed, and building credibility over time. Whether you're leading a company, shaping policy, or managing change, this episode offers valuable insights on trust, technology, and influence in today's rapidly evolving world.

Takeaways:

Influence is built on trust, and trust starts with listening. The strongest leaders spend more time understanding others' perspectives than trying to persuade them.
Effective communication requires consistency and audience awareness. While the core message should remain the same, leaders must tailor how they communicate based on the needs and priorities of different stakeholders.
Public affairs leaders create the most value when they connect policy developments directly to business outcomes. Understanding how external issues impact organizational goals helps elevate public affairs from a support function to a strategic driver.
AI can dramatically improve productivity and decision-making, but it cannot replace human judgment. Leaders must combine technology with experience, context, and critical thinking.
Trusted information is becoming more valuable as content becomes easier to create. Organizations that can provide authoritative, reliable insights will have a significant advantage in an AI-driven world.
Influence often grows as a byproduct of helping others solve problems. Leaders who focus on supporting colleagues, building relationships, and creating value naturally expand their impact over time.
The future belongs to organizations that can combine technology, data, and human expertise. Success will come from using AI to enhance decision-making while preserving the relationships and judgment that drive meaningful outcomes.

Quote of the Show:

"Make it your mission to solve interesting problems and help other people. The influence will just be a byproduct of those behaviors, of the listening, the building trust, and really with those things as the foundation."

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshresnik/
Website: https://fiscalnote.com/

Episode Video

Creators and Guests

Host

Anthony Shop

Anthony Shop believes in the power of people-centered branding and marketing to create a bright future. He chairs the National Digital Roundtable, the premier convener of digital innovators, leaders and policy shapers. Anthony also is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Social Driver, a digital services firm that helps companies and non-profits establish winning strategies with social media, websites, creative, and advertising. An enthusiastic presenter and teacher, he has led executive-level training for Amazon, PepsiCo, NASA, The British Embassy and the Bipartisan Policy Center. He has been recognized as an “OUTstanding LGBT Role Model” by The Financial Times, “40 Under 40” by The Washington Business Journal, and Business Leader of the Year by the DC Chamber of Commerce. A former newspaper reporter, Anthony was the first new media professional elected to the National Press Club’s Board of Governors. He currently serves on the boards of Leadership Greater Washington and LearnServe International. He earned his MBA from The George Washington University School of Business, where he teaches as an adjunct lecturer.

Producer

Amanda Goyette

Producer

Robert Krueger

Robert is an Executive Director for The Communications Board, an organization with the mission of providing high-quality professional development for every communicator in every location. He is also the Global Lead for Partnership Communications at Gensler, the world’s largest architecture and design firm. Prior to his current role, he performed executive and CEO communications for Gensler, and was the senior director of public relations and social media at the Urban Land Institute. He obtained an MA in Communications and an MA in History from George Mason University. He did his undergraduate studies at the University of Missouri-Columbia. In addition, Robert has taught communications at universities including George Mason University, West Virginia University, and the University of Florida. Robert currently serves as Immediate-Past President for the Public Relations Society of America’s National Capital Chapter (PRSA-NCC) -- the nonprofit’s largest chapter.