Secret 1 - Make communication personal and human. Its about how you are seen as a person, not just what you say. Use plain English and use every media possible to communicate. Have regular ‘question time’ sessions with senior staff.
Secret 2 - Act with integrity - very important if you are going to be influential over a sustained period. Manage your profile in the organisation - get to know people, speak in meetings - even if you only ask a questions- arrange to meet people for lunch. Consciously think about influencing people. Ask peoples advise - don’t pretend you know everything.
Secret 3 - have a clear mission/purpose, believe wholeheartedly in what you are doing and saying.
Secret 4 - trust your instinct if you sense something is brewing take the initiative and discuss it. Its far more likely to be resolved if you tackle it than if you hope it will go away. You’ll earn more respect this way.