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A great leader once said, "Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do what you want done because he wants to do it." Since these words were spoken, many theories on leadership and leadership styles have emerged. However, one essential ingredient to any successful leadership philosophy is undeniable: the role of influence. As such, the skills to build a sphere of influence and exercise that influence effectively are fundamental to success. Developing these skills will increase a leader's ability to obtain buy-in on strategic initiatives and execute those initiatives smoothly. This is especially true in a complex and challenging economic climate where competition is on the rise, companies are expanding their reach across international borders and leaders are finding themselves in positions of responsibility without direct authority.
Influence defined
Influence is defined by the Random House Dictionary as the capacity or power of a person to produce an effect on others by intangible or indirect means. It is the ability to move or impel a person to some action. Consciously or not, business leaders rely on influence every day to shape their environment, lead people and achieve corporate goals. The power of influence is particularly important in an environment that requires executives to manage a growing number of projects and business conditions through collaboration and persuasion rather than direct authority. In particular, the use of influence skills is crucial when:
- getting colleagues on board for a change initiative;
- soliciting across boundaries for project resources;
- guiding a team to see the big picture;
- developing a shared understanding of the pathway to the future;
- making team players out of people who resist change;
- encouraging team players to work beyond functional boundaries;
- winning support from those with competing agendas;
- creating positive results with cross function teams;
- empowering others and selling ideas to both colleagues and the boss.
Improving influence skills, however, requires awareness, practice, and an understanding of how to use this power appropriately.
The science behind influence
More than five decades of research has proven that people can be influenced to change behavior by appealing to a specific set of deep human drives and needs. Robert Cialdini, PhD, a leading expert on the psychology and...