You Want Me To Do What?

May 21, 2019

How to Influence Without Authority

We all have so much on our plate that there are days we feel that we will never be able to do it all.

Has this ever happened to you? Just when you feel you have made a little dent in your to-do pile, you are asked to pull a team together to accomplish a goal with a tight deadline.  None of these people report to you and these people are as busy as you are.   Have you asked yourself,  “How will I do this?  Why do these people have to listen to me?  What’s in it for them? What’s in it for me? How will I get buy in?”

How you communicate, the skills you possess and the strategies you use, will determine how well you can influence others.    Begin with exploring your communication style and how you communicate.  Ask yourself these questions:

• Do you want to get to the bottom line quickly?
• Do you focus on the big picture?
• Do you focus on the relationship?
• Do you focus only on facts and data?

Once you are aware of your communication style, then you can consider the communication styles of the people you have to influence.  Ask the same questions above to start to identify their styles and how to proceed.  Determine how to communicate to come to a mutual understanding.  Understanding your style and the styles of others, improves interactions, builds relationships and helps you influence without authority.

 

Next plan your strategy.

• Be prepared for give and take dialogues and think about the other person’s point of view.
• Consider how the other person will view your request.
• What objections should you be prepared to hear?
• Be sure to make it clear that you are aware that the other party has priorities and deadlines.
• Perhaps they have been supportive in the past, and you can reciprocate.
• Be clear about the urgency of what you are asking for, don’t assume.

Influencing effectively, is a skill that is possessed by highly effective people in the workplace.  It may take some time to hone the skill, but the payoff is priceless.

For more information about training for your employees so they can build their skills in influencing others,  contact us at (800) 610-8170 or email us atsolutions@taylorperformance.com.

 

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