Demonstrate Your Credibility and Track Record

In the absence of authority, people tend to listen to the most credible person in the room. Although expertise is part of credibility, the most important aspect is the extent to which people believe you speak the truth. Do you provide a balanced argument, and are you willing to admit what you don’t know? 

Find Champions for Your Cause

Who are the people you’re counting on most to accomplish objectives within your team? Start by identifying those whose cooperation you need to support implementation and get to know them. What do they need to succeed? What do they care about most? Once you understand what motivates them, you can begin to work toward getting their buy-in so they can help you convince others.

Don’t Overly Rely on Reasoning

Reasoning is the most commonly used influencing tactic, but it doesn’t work in every situation, particularly if goals are not aligned or you lack credibility in a particular area. Be prepared to use a variety of approaches to ensure you use the best combination of influence behaviors in each situation.

Translate Facts and Figures into Benefits

Before you pull up another graph of projected revenue from your latest initiative, ask yourself why it matters to the team. Will this new effort translate into bonuses if successful? Will it prove your team is capable of successfully taking on a competitor?

People aren’t motivated to act based on facts alone; they need to understand what’s in it for them.

Open Up a Dialogue

No one wants to feel like they’re being pitched. The best form of influence is subtle and occurs as the result of an ongoing conversation. While talking with your team, be sure to ask questions and hear their concerns. Show empathy by actively listening, nodding, and paraphrasing what they’ve shared.

Influence is an art form every successful leader must master. It’s a skill that must be learned and honed over time. As a leading organizational consulting firm, we offer assessments and training to help leaders become more effective influencers and teams work together more effectively.