Influencing, A Critical Leadership Skill
One of the most sought after and necessary leadership skills is the ability to influence. Think about it. In today’s highly matrixed reporting environment, many people work with others that don’t directly report to them, making the ability to get things done without “telling” or “ordering” a coveted skill. And for that reason, we spend a considerable amount of time in our coaching practice helping executives understand how to enhance their ability to influence.
To do this we usually begin by providing clarity around the differences between persuading and influencing. A simple way to do this is by asking these two questions: 1) Who in your life has persuaded you? vs. 2) Who has influenced you? When researchers asked more than 100 business leaders the first question, many reacted negatively. When they rephrased the question, those same leaders jumped at the chance to share their stories. Why was that? What is the difference? Exploring the definition of the two words adds further insight. Influence is having a vision of the optimum outcome for a situation or organization and then, without using force or coercion, motivating people to work together toward making the vision a reality. Persuasion can be used to spur someone to action or to make a decision without actually earning their sincere buy-in. Few people like to be pushed into doing something or sold hard on it. This is the difference between persuasion and influence. Being influential isn’t about manipulating others or bending them to your will. It’s about using your personal power independent of your position. So, how do we become more influential?
According to Mark Goulston and John Ullmen in their book, “Real Influence” great influencers share a certain four-step pattern. First, they Go for great outcomes, meaning, instead of thinking about what THEY want, influential leaders as themselves what a great outcome would be for their team, their company, and themselves.
The second step is to Listen past your blind spots. To do this, people must understand their own perceptions, so their viewpoint doesn’t block the opportunity to understand others and gain commitment.
The third step to becoming a great influencer is to Engage others at “their there”. To achieve this, leaders must begin from where the person they are trying to influence is vs. from where they are. Often, executives try to convince others from their point of view – based on their assumptions, acting as if the other person is already on their side of the gap. Instead, leaders need to ask questions to find out where the other person is and help them come along.
The fourth and final step is When you’ve done enough… do more. By “going the extra mile” leaders make a statement about who they are as a person and a professional. Over delivering shouldn’t be a onetime thing, but rather an ongoing practice that sets executives apart from other leaders.
To be highly influential, leaders must also understand that people have different preferences for how they like to be influenced and apply the right tactics to build alignment and commitment. In the Center for Creative Leadership White Paper, Influencing: The Skill of Persuasion, by Dellaert and Davydov it was found that leaders can influence by applying 3 types of tactics: logical, emotional, and cooperative. These tactics are outlined as follows:
- The Head: Logical influencing tactics address people in a rational or intellectual way. Arguments and information such as facts and figures are brought forward in the best interest of the organization, the team, or the person.
- The Heart: Emotional influencing tactics connect the communication or decision to a person’s feelings of well-being or sense of belonging. The leader’s persuasion skills appeal to attitudes, values, a common purpose, ideals, and beliefs through inspiration or enthusiasm.
- The Hands: Cooperative influencing tactics involve seeking advice and offering assistance. The leader reinforces the connection that they have with the others. Collaborating to accomplish a mutually important goal extends a hand to others.
We love the above approach because it forces leaders to match tactics with preference. Questions asked to deepen thinking include, “What is your preference in how you like to be influenced? Which of the three tactics does your boss or indirect boss usually respond to? And, How can you alter your approach to be a more effective influencer?
In sum, influencing is a critical leadership skill needed to succeed in today’s business environment. Leaders who know how to exercise their personal power without demanding or coercing and who understand how people want to be influenced, enhance commitment toward achieving goals.
