Influencing Others

Leading Change

Agenda• What does “Managing by Influence truly

mean?”• Tips to being an effective influencer

• 5 Influencing Styles• 5 Steps to increasing your influence• Exercise

• Leadership: Influencing & Engagement• “Experiences” Exercise• Questions

Managing by Influence

Managing by Influence

What does it mean to “Manage by Influence”?

Managing by Influence

Managing by Influence means….

Work influence is your ability to make a positive impact on others (actions, decisions,

or points of view). Peers, employees, and leaders respect and seek out influential

professionals. The receiver determines your level of influence. Real influence comes from

impact, not status.

Tips to being an effective

“Influencer”

5 Influencing styles

5 Styles:

1. Asserting – you insist that your ideas are heard and you challenge the ideas of others

2. Convincing – you put forward your ideas and offer logical, rational reasons to convince others of your point of view

3. Negotiating – you look for compromises and make concessions to reach outcomes that satisfy your greater interest

4. Bridging – you build relationships and connect with others through listening understanding and building coalitions

5. Inspiring – you advocate your position and encourage others with a sense of shared purpose and exciting possibilities

5 Influencing styles

What style is most effective

and Why?

5 Steps to increasing your influence

5 Steps:1. Understand your influencing style:

• What’s your dominant style?• Do you apply the same style to every situation or individual? • If you don’t know – take “The Influencer Style Assessment”

by VitalSmarts2. Take stock of your situation:

• Who are your critical stakeholders you need to “win over”• Understand the style that may work best with your

audience, i.e., if it is a CFO, use data/logic and expertise or a peer, bridging or negotiating may be best

• Utilize the MIR model (Managing Interpersonal Relationships)

5 Steps to increasing your influence

3) Identify your gaps:• Figure out where you are on solid ground – where are the

common “wins”• What are the benefits – sell them• Understand where you need to shift gears and use a

different approach4) Develop:

• After you have identified the “gaps”, find a way to develop your influencing style

• Could be an internal mentor (someone you have seen exhibit those skills) or workshop

• Role play your “pitch” • As you build your capability and confidence, move on to

higher-stakes scenarios

5 Steps to increasing your influence

5) Practice:• Start out with “low stakes” situations where you can test out

your styles• Target a person or situation where you’d like to achieve a

certain outcome, think through the influencing style that will work best in that situation, and give it a try.

Influencing without authority

When your title isn’t enoughPersonal influence is an essential leadership skill

3 types of influencing tactics:1) Logical appeal – taps into people’s reason and intellect.

You present an argument for the best choice of action based on the organizational benefits, personal benefits or both. (objective, logical, factual and detailed evidence)

2) Emotional appeal – connects your message, goal or project to individuals goals and / or values. Link your request to a clear and appealing vision the other person can fully support

3) Cooperative appeal – builds a connection between you, the person you want to influence and others, to get support for your proposal. Working together to accomplish a mutually important goal.

Exercise

Bringing it all together:• Consider a situation where you are trying to

influence a situation / person• What is your natural style? • Validate which style should be used –

understanding the audience and situation• Plan your approach – i.e. what you are trying to

influence / what you can say or do in order to achieve your desired outcome?

• Pick a partner and role play – give feedback to each other

Leadership: Influencing & Engagement

Leadership - Influencing & Engagement

As a leader, can you be both lovable and strong?

• Projecting warmth is the key to having influence Leaders who rate low in “likability” have about a one in 2,000 chance of being regarded as effective

• Leaders who try to immediately project strength run the risk of instilling a counterproductive fear in the very people they want to inspire

• Without a foundation of trust, a company’s employees may comply outwardly with the leader’s wishes, but they are much less likely to comply privately – to adopt the values, culture, and mission of the organization in a sincere lasting way (which causes disengagement)

• What matters most, isn’t where someone ranks within the company, but how well that person understands and mobilizes the informal networks needed to effect change

Connect then lead

Leaders vs. Managers

Leader’s characteristics to influencing

Experience Says

Spend a few minutes thinking of……

What experiences you have had where a leader, peer or direct report did a great

job influencing.

What did they do?

What questions can I answer?

Beth Thomasbthomas@sequent.biz