About

4 keys to strengthen the ability to influence others

Effective leaders don’t just command; they inspire, influence, and encourage. Leaders tap the knowledge and skills of a group, point individuals toward a common goal, and draw out a commitment to achieve results.

How do they do that? We have identified the best leaders as having 4 key influencing skills:

·         Political savvy: The leaders embrace organizational politics to move teams and important initiatives forward.

·         Self-promotion: Leaders cut through the noise with realistic, credible self-promotion that helps others as well as themselves.

·         Building and maintaining trust: Because leadership so often involves guiding people through risk and change, trust is essential.

·         Leveraging networks: No leader is an island. They are empowered by their connections with others.

Practicing “Political Intelligence”

All organizations have 2 sides . The formal arrangement drafted on the organization chart and the informal organization that shows how things really get done, in here leaders understand both aspects

Political savvy is both a attitude and a skillset. Savvy leaders view politics as a neutral and necessary part of organizational life that can be used beneficially and ethically to advance organizational goals.

For a leader, political savvy in achievement looks like this:

·         Networking to build social capital, including interspersing strategically.

·         Thinking before responding, considering context and goals before deciding when and how to express themselves. 

·         Leaving people with a good impression, without coming across as “trying too hard.”

Promote Yourself, Promote the Organization

Self-promotion is often seen as selfishness. But influential leaders know that by promoting themselves reliably, for the right reasons, they can cut through the information that blasts us all each day.

In the hands of an perceptive leader, self-promotion isn’t just a tool to advance one’s own career. It can provide visibility and opportunities for their direct reports, generate team and organizational  pride, and make capabilities and ideas more visible across the organization — ultimately enhancing collaboration.

Building and Maintaining a Foundation of Trust

Building and maintaining trust is essential for leading. Without trust, leaders may be able to force people to comply, but they’ll never tap the full commitment, capabilities, and creativity the group can offer. Leveraging these assets is invaluable when tackling tough challenges or making strategic change, so trust is vital.

People look for leaders who can appreciate their vulnerability and inspire them, understand them, support them, and guide them through looming chaos. This requires the leader to demonstrate a broad range of behaviors, some of which might seem contradictory but when used in an appropriate and timely manner, create conditions that foster trust.

Network Influence

Finally, leaders who are skilled at influencing others recognize and cultivate the power of networks. Organizations are increasingly dynamic; they morph in size and shape over time. Influential leaders recognize that their personal networks must also be dynamic, and they continually grow and strengthen their networks. They are also strategic about choosing how and when to tap into this network.

Reference

Hellenbeck, G (no date) Center for Creative Leadership Available at https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/4-keys-strengthen-ability-influence-others/ accessed date -20/6/2018