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The Power of Influence

Written by: Geoff Flemming

Article Overview: There are numbers of signs in the market right now that for many indicate that 2010 will be much improved on 2009! What this means is that the 'headlights' of new opportunities will be back on again and it is business as usual.

The Power of Influence

But for those who found 2009 a very 'character' building experience may have come to a conclusion that next year may require a different, and maybe a whole new approach. We cannot control the economy but we can have a greater influence upon our resilience to external conditions.

Being more influential is simply about having a greater impact upon the way that our people think and communicate - therefore the culture of the organisation. It is about identifying the high-leverage behaviours that need to change. In a world of quick-fixes we tend to look at simple solutions to sometimes complex behavioural problems. This goes for both business and personal challenges. Unfortunately most quick fixes don't work because the problems aren't fed by a single cause - moreso by a conspiracy of causes!

Many are steeped in frustration in attempting to influence change in quality, performance and culture in their organisations, or maybe in personal or family areas in trying to influence a new way of thinking.

In the New York Times bestseller, 'Influencer: The Power to Change Anything', the authors refer to the serenity trap. What this means is that when we face challenges that can be solved only by influencing stubborn and inflexible behaviours and we attempt a couple of change strategies and fail - we simply quit and move on! We tell ourselves that we are not influencers and it is time to turn our attention to things that are in our control - in other words we seek serenity!

We seek solace and serenity - rather than solutions!

Influencers are people who rather than continually seeking the wisdom the know the difference, have sought the wisdom to MAKE a difference. What they have discovered is that when it comes to making a significant change, what most of us lack is not the courage to change but moreso the skill to do so. When left to our own devices we often fail to come up with the ideas that will solve our problems.

So significant problems we face in our companies and our world can be solved. Whilst they don't require earth shattering solutions, they do require for people to think and act differently.

What we have learnt is that there are significantly more drivers to propel others to change apart from just verbal persuasion.

So as a leader in 2010 it is your duty to become really good at exerting influence over what causes you and the organisation frustration or grief! We need to change the culture of our company for the better by choosing to have a greater influence over human behaviour.

1. Align personal motivation to company values and behaviours

2. Over-invest in human skill building

3. Harness and utilise peer pressure

4. Build line and junior managers into influential leaders

5. Align rewards to accountability

6. Change the environment by building communication systems.

The main variable in success or failure is NOT which source of influence you choose or which will work best. By far the more important factor is how many you implement!

For the future, when you diagnose a problem, identify the handful of high leverage behaviours that need to change. Rely less on formal authority and more on ways to motivate and and enable others to change their behaviour.

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Article Tags: Business Coaching, Crucial Conversations, high performance teams, leadership training, motivation



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