The ability to drive people to accomplish certain goals at the workplace is regarded as one of the pre-requisites of being a good leader or an effective manager. In fact, the need to influence people has become essential in almost every walk of life.
Contrary to what many believe, inspiring people is not a unique super-power; moreover, a person does not require a formal title to motivate others. Persuading people is an art that can be mastered by anyone, regardless of age, experience, education, etc. Given below are a few key ways for enhancing influencing skills –
- Stay Relevant: People have the tendency to respect, follow, and even emulate those who are the final word or the experts in their fields. The most effective influencers are therefore always up to date with the latest developments in their industries. They show a keen awareness of upcoming changes as well as futuristic trends and are among the first to adapt to the dynamic times, in terms of gaining additional knowledge, skills and attributes. Good influencers not only embrace and drive change, but also lead it.
- Establish A Connect: The most effective way of gaining people’s trust and motivating them is by building a personal relationship with them that is both, authentic and meaningful. This includes getting to know more about them that just their names; it involves understanding their values, their personal goals, and the factors that drive them. People are more likely to be influenced by those with whom they have some rapport.
- Listen Actively: It is a well-known fact that people like to be heard; active listening has therefore become one of the most essential soft skills at the workplace today. Effective influencers listen without interruptions, before they even try to persuade people to do anything. They start off by giving others their undivided attention especially in 1:1 interactions. When engaging with others, they focus on the people they are with, keeping aside all distractions, including their cellphones. This allows the other person to feel heard and valued.
- Deliver on Promises: Good persuaders build credibility and get people to believe in them by honoring their commitments within the specified period of time. As a one off, in case, they cannot come through for some reason, they proactively keep people informed, letting everyone know the reasons for the change or the delay. To maintain their reliability, they offer acceptable alternatives when things don’t go according to plan.
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