Positive influencing strategies
This programme will develop capability in influencing others through a resonant, win/win approach that positively impacts on relationships and builds future bonds.
Level
Programme is appropriate for learners at entry, intermediate and advanced levels.
Objectives
- To understand influencing and what makes it challenging
- To distinguish between push and pull strategies
- To develop capability in a range of pull influencing behaviours
- To appreciate the importance of self-management
- To understand how to influence difficult people
- To build confidence through demonstrations & practical application
Process
Your Experiences – Learners to consider people they see as highly influential. Share thoughts on key behaviours ‘to do’ or ‘not to do’.
Understanding Influencing – Mean by influencing. Influencing vs. manipulation. Building credibility as influencer. What makes influencing difficult.
Experiential Exercise – Push vs. Pull – fun, interactive exercise to demonstrate our tendency to either push or pull when influencing others.
Push vs. Pull Strategies – Identify 4 influencing strategies – aggressive, assertive, passive, responsive. Push vs. pull strategies – impact on self and others. Assertive and Responsive as long-term, collaborative, win / win strategies.
Win/Win Influencing Techniques – Identify eight pull influencing techniques – expressing views & opinions, expressing feelings, stating expectations, stating consequences, active listening, exploring, common ground, personal disclosure.
Self-Management – Awareness of the impact of self on others. Influencing begins with self-management first, then influencing others. Managing emotional state – self and others – emotional intelligence (EI).
Behaviour Change – Appreciate how we learn and the difficulties associated with changing one’s behaviour towards behaving more assertively – comfort zones, habit, need for conscious choice through increased self-awareness.
Relationship Management – Relationship as the context for influencing others. Influencing others with a constructive impact on the relationship. Transactional Analysis (TA) – parent, adult, child ego-states.
Communication – Communication at the heart of influencing. 3Vs model of communication – verbal, vocal, visual. Congruent vs. incongruent communication.
Styles & Preferences – Impact of styles / preferences. Self-assessment – doer, actor, friend, thinker. My effect on others / other’s effect on me. Flexing approach to match the styles of others.
Power & Authority – Mean by power. Power and authority. Identify six sources of power – reward, legitimate, coercive, expert, referent, information. Enabling power and authority in self and others.
Influencing Difficult People – Identify what learners consider to be difficult people / situations. Clarify the impact on self – become emotional – flight, fight, freeze. Three-fold strategy – managing self, managing person, managing task.
Practical Application – Live demonstrations model behaviours / techniques. Practice learning through a variety of simulations.
Options
Programme can be adapted as a 1 or 2 day workshop for approx. 8 to 10 learners, with 1 or 2 facilitators, with the possibility of using professional role players.