EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Leveraging Influence

A segment from Bradley’s Advanced Leadership Development Program

I. The Challenge of Leadership

II. Leadership and Influence

III. Leading Through Change

IV. Flexing Your Style

V. Making Conflict Work for You

VI. Taking Your Team to The Next Level

Advanced Leadership Development Program

Dorene Burkhalter Facilitator/Coach Organizational consultant, educator, coach

since 1993 M.S. Industrial/Organizational Psychology,

B.S. Education, Certified Executive Coach Industry Experience: education, government, health-care,

insurance, manufacturing, retail, & social services Facilitate initiatives designed to improve organizational culture

and employer of choice standing Adjunct faculty/consultant: Bradley & Belmont University, Center

for Creative Leadership H.R. Executive in two previous jobs

Essentials of Effective Leadership • Self-Awareness – Effective leaders know themselves, are

aware of their strengths and weaknesses, and take action to build on their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses.

• Reading Others – Effective leaders are able to understand differences in style and motivation, listen for meaning and interpret important non-verbal information.

• Ability to Adapt – Effective leaders recognize the need to “flex their leadership style,” have a variety of leadership tools to respond to changing needs and challenging situations and are resilient - able to bounce back from setbacks.

Influencing Defined

“The interpersonal behaviors that we use, to have a positive impact on another party’s choices.”

Your Insights

• With whom would you like to have more influence? • Why? • Describe why s/he is a challenge. • List what you have tried to do so far….

Power: The capacity or potential to exert influence

Positional Power Personal Power

Power based on formal status, authority, control of resources, punishments or rewards

Power based on expertise, special skills, personality traits, charisma, personal status or credibility

Insights

• Consider someone who is good at influencing you… – What did they do or say that lead you to be

receptive to his/her influence? • ? • ? • ?

Influence – Diverse Perspectives

Inspire

Shape

Guide

Stimulate

Leverage

Persuade Change

Sway

Persuade Change

Sway

Direct

Control

Pressure

Intimidate

Influence Style Indicator Model

You advocate by debate, insisting your ideas are heard and challenging the ideas of others.

You advocate by offering logic, rational reasons and data

You advocate through compromises, concessions and trade-offs to reach outcomes that satisfy your greater interest.

You advocate by presenting a sense of shared purpose and exciting possibilities

You advocate by connecting, building relationships and coalitions

Influence Styles

Asserting Style Stating preferences clearly and applying pressure

This Style looks like…

Insisting that your ideas are heard and considered,

Challenging ideas or suggestions that you disagree with,

Using formal structure (position, rules, laws, policies) to emphasize legitimacy,

Using power, rewards and consequences.

Asserting Sounds Like…

I am 100% certain that…

The policy requires that…

I insist that you consider my idea…

My position gives me the authority

to…

Examples: Margaret Thatcher, Indira Gandhi

Rationalizing Style Using logic and reasoning to present your ideas

This style looks like… Offering rational reasons to convince others of your point of view,

Suggesting logical solutions to problems,

Using relevant facts and data to convince,

Using expert views and/or historical data to build a convincing position.

Rationalizing Sounds Like…

The experts say...

Our analysis shows that…

The only logical solution is to…

What information do you need to…

Examples: Hillary Clinton, Albert Einstein

Negotiating Style

This Style looks like…

Willing to make concessions in order to reach an outcome that satisfies your greater interest,

Trade-offs to reach agreement,

Exchanging favours to get something accomplished,

Leveraging areas of agreement.

Compromising and making concessions to find common ground

Negotiating Sounds Like… If you

will…then I can…

I will support you in the meeting tomorrow and

when my project is presented next quarter,

then…

I know this is not a long-term solution to all of your issues

but it does provide a way forward so that we can both…

Let’s agree to discuss this later when

everyone is calmer…

Examples: Henry Kissinger, Hamid Karzai

Inspiring Style

This Style looks like…

Promoting your position by encouraging others with a sense of shared purpose and/or vision,

Enthusiastically presenting your ideas,

Appealing to peoples hopes and dreams to gain their support,

Using context - stories and metaphors to appeal to the emotions of others.

Influencing others through shared purpose and higher possibilities

Inspiring Sounds Like

Just think of what this can mean to the

future of…

You’re the best at this I’ve ever seen. Would

you be willing to …

I want to tell you a story about

why …

If we could figure this out, imagine what an

impact we would have on …

Examples: Martin Luther King, Jr., Aung San Suu Kyi

Bridging Style

This Style looks like…

Building relationships and coalitions

Listening carefully to what others need,

Understanding to be understood,

Asking questions to seek understanding of another’s point of view.

Engaging and connecting with others

Bridging Sounds Like… I had this same issue last year

and let me tell you how…

I think I understand your dilemma so can you help me

understand why…”

It sounds like the three of us have a

common agenda. If we stick together

then …

“It sounds like you are saying that you cannot

go any further to accommodate us. Will

you explain …

Examples: Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela

Influence is Situational! Preference Use When Questionable

Rationalizing Strong data / expertise Open for logical discussion

Value/ethical impact Lack of evidence

Asserting Positional power Crisis/time

Influencing up Need for collaboration

Inspiring Shared interests Excitement and hope needed

Adversary relationships Low trust

Bridging Collaboration needed Complex issue

Lack common goals Lack of time

Negotiating No right answer Divergent interests

Inferior position Nothing to exchange

Insights • What do you think is your primary and

secondary Influence Style? • How do you like to be influenced? • What do you think is your “challenging”

person’s primary and secondary Influence Style?

• How do you think s/he would like to be influenced?

In Closing Influencing others is always mentioned when we ask managers, “What do you hope to get out of this leadership development program?” We hope this snippet of our larger program has given you new insights into influencing others.

I. The Challenge of Leadership

II. Leadership and Influence

III. Leading Through Change

IV. Flexing Your Style

V. Making Conflict Work for You

VI. Taking Your Team to The Next Level

Advanced Leadership Development Program

Executive Development Center Phone: (309) 677-4420 www.bradley.edu/edc

edc@bradley.edu