Being skilful at influencing is necessary if you want to flourish in your profession. Influencing is the ability to affect the behaviour of others. It does not involve issuing commands but rather inspiring and encouraging them to do certain things. For this reason, ‘influencing’ has become a core competency for effective leadership.
However, you do not have to be in a powerful leadership position to find a use for influencing. Regardless of your role in an organisation, good influencing skills can help you do better in negotiations, lead a team with confidence, gain professional recognition, and establish stronger relationships with your colleagues.
But what exactly does it take to influence others? To help you get started, below are four key strategies to help you persuade people with ease:
Be Politically Savvy
Every organisation has its own set of politics and way of running things. Successful influencers know how crucial it is to understand how organisational politics works to use them to your advantage. It requires some careful planning and deliberation on your end.
Firstly, which individuals do you need to influence to reach your goals. Ask yourself why you need their support. This way, you can efficiently plan how to approach these different stakeholders.
It helps to map out the decision-makers for your project or proposal. After you have done this, run through each individual and ask yourself if you can influence them directly. If not possible, consider other people you can approach who are in a better position to persuade these key stakeholders. Be sure to take note of them on your map.
Lastly, think about the people who might oppose your plans and formulate ways to try to convince them to join your side. Remember, you are not making underhanded plans but creating an ethical and effective influence strategy.
Build Trust
Naturally, people are unlikely to be persuaded by someone they dislike or find untrustworthy. Hence, it is essential to establish strong, trusting relationships within your organisation. Of course, good rapport does not instantly result in powerful influence, but it does help. At the very least, people will be open to hearing what you have to say.
You do not have to perform grand acts of service or go out of your way to be the “best person” in your organisation—being an amiable and reliable professional is more than enough. One way of cultivating a trustworthy reputation is by consistently following through with the things you promise, whether it is a work task or a favour. When you deliver what is expected from you promptly, people will come to view you as a dependable person.
Additionally, make it a point to listen to your colleagues before influencing them. Ask them for their perspectives or advice through thoughtfully constructed questions. People are more open to being persuaded when they feel heard and respected. Understanding where each person is coming from can help you figure out what matters most to them. You can leverage this information by constructing proposals your audience can connect with, which will be discussed further in the next section.
Appeal to the Needs of Others
When proposing, be sure that it has something to offer to those you are trying to influence. After all, it is difficult to convince stakeholders of your agenda’s importance when it comes off as self-serving. So, let your audience know what’s in it for them.
You can do this by framing your proposal in a way that appeals to their needs or motivations. This is where the active listening from the previous section comes into play. You need to understand each stakeholder’s perspective, temperament, and personal goals to deliver a persuasive pitch.
Grow Your Expertise
Lastly, people are more likely to listen and follow someone who is a recognised expert in their field. Therefore, professional credibility is a key factor in developing a stronger influence.
While this isn’t something that can be done overnight, it’s certainly not an impossible task. You can easily develop your expertise by taking classes, applying for specialised certification programs, and attending conferences or seminars. Assuming a leadership position in an organisation that is relevant to your specialisation is also a great way to get hands-on experience.
It is just as important to demonstrate the knowledge you have acquired. You can create content about the different topics within your expertise. For example, you can write articles or make an informative video and share these materials through a website or your company newsletter.
Honing your influencing skills relies heavily on how you carry yourself and interact with the people around you. As long as you understand the structures within your organisation, build and maintain genuine connections, and work on improving your specialisation, you can bring your persuasion game to the next level. Check Priority Management Australia’s online courses today.