Leadership Turn

What Makes An Effective Influencer?

by Jonathan Farrington on May 8th, 2007

Winning influencers share attitudes and behaviours that ensure consistent success. Studies have shown that they:

• Indicate the benefits of their ideas

• Neutralise resistance, preferably in advance

• Find alternative ways to influence others

• Listen attentively to what others say

• Uncover needs and wants

• Empathise continuously

• Notice how others respond

• Create and maintain rapport throughout

• Eliminate weak statements from their language

• Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse

In Summary: Five Easy Steps To Influence

Here are the five main steps to effective influential communication. Make this pattern second nature, leaving you to concentrate on the detail.

Gain Rapport

Be on their level, recognise their beliefs and values; match their behaviour patterns and blend your personality characteristics with theirs.

Ask Questions

Elicit needs and different responses; probe to identify their motives, attitudes and feeling.

Listen Actively

Demonstrate that you are listening: listen with all your senses; suspend judgement.

Stress Pertinent Benefits

Summarise how specific benefits of your proposal accurately reflect their needs.

Work Towards A Decision

Ask questions that will force a decision (or rejection); test interest through hypothetical questions; make positive statements which assume their acceptance.

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POSTED IN: Leadership Skills