第一次发英文文章......
This week I conduct a presentation within the team about "Influence".
This is a re-cap of the "Developing and strenthening influence skills" session I facilitated with Dave in March.
The content s useful and here is it.
1. Influence - why you need it?
We all need to influence others to get work done.
Nowadays, the organizations become more and more complicated. More and more, we need to manage task forces and cross-functional teams, which we have little to no authority at all.
How to influence those in other departments and divisions, people you can't order and control? How to influence your manager and others above you, people you certainly can't order and control?
You are not alone. Nobody has the formal authority to achieve what is necessary.
Even in situation where you are in charge of your own direct reports, it still isn't automatic that you will be able to get fully cooperation. As the boss, you can push people hard if they aren't fully engaged, but it can still be challenging to gain full commitment.
When the members of the team do not report to you, the challenge is that much greater.
Yet, it is possible to make things happen, through influence.
During March session, we covered 3 key learnings.
1. influence and power
2. styles of influence
3. influence strategies
2. Influence vs Power
Leading with power: the ability to force or coerce others to do your will, even if they would choose not to, because of your position or your might.
Key words - "Because I am the boss."
Leading through influence: the skill of getting others willing to do your will because of your personal influence.
Key words - "I'll do it for you."
The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.
3. Behavior Styles
One thing that affects our power and influence is our own behavior style and its interaction with the style of others.
To achieve all the power of which you are capable, you need to understand yourself as well as your potential ally who you want to influence.
We all completed an exercise - As I See Myself: Behavior Style Profile.
Now you know there are four types.
The four types are: Controllers, Stabilizers, Analyzers, Persuaders.
We all have a personal or natural preference for influencing.
Being able to influence often requires being aware of the style and preferences of others.
4. Influence Strategies
Awareness comes first, and then you can create a strategy to influence a specific person or situation.
Psychologists and researchers have made many attempts to categorize types of influence.
One researher identified over 130 influence tactics.
During the March session, we went through some commonly used tactics.
For example, you can empower people, you can demonstrate common vision, you can use logical persuasion.
You can also coerce. However, coercion is a last resort and is not usually effective for lasting influence.
You need to focus carefully on what conditions determine which approach to take. To be an effective influencer requires versatility in selecting among strategies.
While deciding your influence strategy, you also need to consider WHO and WHERE (situation).
5. Summary - Key learnings
All of us have some base of power and influence which we can develop and strengthen.
To increase your influence, you need to develop your skills and be able to draw on a number of approaches, which sometimes go beyond your "natrual" of preferred styles.
To influence a situation, you need to have a strategy. It's important to remember that different situations call for different strategies.
6. Now you know influence, then what?
Influence is about trades, exchanging something the other values in return for what you want. Influence is about making change. Influence is about making a difference.
You are potentially much more influential than you think you are. You have more to offer than you think if you know your goals, priorities, and resources.
Ultimately, it is all about you, and your personal vision.
Who you are? What do you really want? What do you want to make different?
What really matters for you? What do you want to create through your leadership? What do you want to be remembered for?
Leadership is the ability to influence others to do good things.
Don't be evil.
7. Reference
1. Cohen, Allan and David Bradford (1991) Influence Without Authority, New Jersey: Wiley
2. WFD Consulting (2008-2011) Developing and Strengthening Influence Skills
3. McKinsey Quarterly (March 2018) Leading with inner agility
