How do skill sets influence your business?

Influence is the ability of an individual to transform and shape the opinions of others. Influencing at the workplace, then, is a process of transforming the behaviours of employees. For example, a team leader can influence subordinates through his communication, policies and actions. Influencing is one of the important soft skills required for every individual, irrespective of their hierarchical position at the workplace.

A leader must display several influencing skills, including integrity and transparency, impeccable communication, the ability to give constructive feedback, and emotional intelligence. It takes time, focus, practice, and experience to acquire influencing skills.
 

To be successful, one may need to exert influence - 

Upwards to convince the boss.

• Horizontally at the peer level to get things expedited.

• Within one’s hierarchy to keep team members motivated and get things done. 

• There is a need to convince and persuade individuals across layers and teams to achieve individual and organizational objectives.

Trust, Integrity, and Transparency

Trust-building and integrity are essential for a leader who guides people through risk and change. Integrity is the quality of being honest with others. Integrity ensures an individual adheres to moral values and ethical principles.

A transparent leader is one who makes it easy for subordinates to see and understand why certain choices are made. Without maintaining transparency in day-to-day operational activities, a leader might end up projecting himself as a dubious and deceiving person. No employees will be inspired to follow rules proposed by a dubious person. So, integrity and transparency are important skills one should acquire to influence others.
 

Impeccable and Precise Communication

Communication is the ability of an individual to convey their thoughts to others. The lack of clarity in communication results in ambiguity and allows subordinates to do whatever they feel like. With poor communication, the leader would not be able to inspire employees to align their personal goals with organizational goals.

To influence employees, a leader should be an active listener, too. A leader should apply active listening skills to understand other points of view. Without listening to subordinates’ concerns, the leader cannot solve their problems or inspire them to perform better. 

Strong Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability of an individual to manage their emotions to diffuse conflict, overcome challenges and empathize with others. Emotional intelligence helps a leader gauge how others react to a particular situation and alter their communication accordingly. A leader with strong emotional intelligence can build good interpersonal relationships, provide a healthy work environment and encourage employees to achieve business goals.

Ability to Provide Constructive Feedback

Giving constructive feedback is a method of influence in leadership. Subordinates often value the feedback given by their peers and senior managers, as long as it is given tactfully. Leaders need to offer constructive feedback that balances both strengths and weaknesses — and provides solutions to make improvements. In turn, they can influence their employees to take specific actions to improve their work. Instituting a quarterly or annual review schedule can keep lines of communication open between managers and employees, and allow both to voice their feedback, praise and concerns.
 

Here are some hints and tips to help you become a star influencer:

• Persuade Rather than Coerce ~ People may do things for you under pressure, but they won’t like it. If you take a gentler, more collaborative approach, people will be far more willing to be influenced by you than if you strong-arm them into submission.

• Build Rapport ~ We like doing business with people we like; take time to ask about their children, partners, holidays, etc., and look to find common ground. 

Rapport is like the WD40 of business – it’s the oil that smooths the way.

• Identify What’s in it for Them ~  We all like a win/win (e.g.: “If we implement this new policy the department will work more efficiently and that will save you time”). Identify what a win might look like for others.
• Make it Mutual ~ If you do something, however small, for me, I am much more likely to want to do something for you.
   

Influencing is a subtle two-way process and can be as simple as making others feel acknowledged, understood, and appreciated.

• Identify what Their View is ~ Often we only try to influence from our point of view. If you’ve tried to explain something twice and they still haven’t got it, then you have to try something different through a greater understanding of what the situation looks like from their perspective. Understanding the key barriers to communication will help you.
• Don’t Worry about Who Gets the Credit ~ 
  “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit!”
  Harry S Truman
• Develop Your Current Relationships ~ It’s far easier to strengthen bonds with people who are in your current sphere of influence than trying to do things on your own.
• The better they feel about you the more willing they will be to help you expand your network.
   
• Expand Your Network ~ If you need access to people with whom you don’t have a direct route, look to enlist people in your current sphere who could open those doors for you.

It’s amazing how willing people are to help if you’ve put in the legwork to make them feel valued.
 

Find out What Motivates Them ~ If you know someone is motivated by learning new things use that in the way you try to influence them.

If they are motivated by bonding with others talk about how it would be a great opportunity to work with a new team, new people, etc.

Become an Expert ~ Do your research and know your subject inside out which gives substance to your ideas. Then you will be able to speak with authority and answer any possible reservations.

At the workplace, managers use several types of power to influence subordinates. For example, a CEO of a company can use what's called "legitimate power" to make business decisions to create organizational policies and implement a particular type of culture to influence the behaviour of their employees. Leaders can also use "reward power" OR “coercive power “as a source of influence.
 

The ability to move others to achieve significant objectives is when one can find a way to become ‘inclusive’ – in such a manner that everyone wins in the process ~ Let’s bring an all-round ‘win-win’ feeling.