Elizabeth Larson

Date: July 24, 2014

Name: The Influencing Formula

Presenter: Elizabeth Larson, CEO of Watermarklearning

It is vital for professionals to be able to influence stakeholders. In addition, it is difficult to influence others without authority. Since the key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority, it is important to know how to influence others.

Professionals, such as Business Analysts, are considered as change agents. They bring changes to the organization. Stakeholders expect positive changes from them; therefore, influencing is the significant key to communicate with upper management.

There are two major pitfalls many to professionals need to know. The first is to “bring solution” and second is to “influence command and control”. In organization, professionals are hired by upper management to suggest solutions, not decision makers.

There are four major barriers that limit professionals to influence others in the organization.

• Organizational Hierarchy
• Fear of Failure
• Time
• Incompatible goals

Influence versus Persuade

Influence means compelling force or produce effects on the thoughts, action and feeling of others. On the other hand, persuade means urge to change or use communication to deliberately change. In addition, professionals plan more during influence method, but sense of urgency and less planning that is called persuade method. There is a difference between manipulate and influence. Manipulate is to influence skillfully in an unfair manner.

Five Influence Tactics

Type	Description
Rational Persuasion	Using facts, figures, and statistic
Inspirational Appeal	Use emotion to lead others
Consultation	Act as advisor to make recommendation
Personal Appeal	Use personal relationship
Form a Coalition	Use interest to lead others

Power versus Authority

Power means the ability to impose one’s wills, which means “to be able to”. Nevertheless, authority is a form of power, which means “to authorize to do so”.

There are 6 forms of power:

• Coercive (Using threatening punishment)
• Referent (Refer someone who has more power to order others)
• Reward (Provide incentives when completion)
• Legitimate (Using authority or power to give order)

Coercive is the weakest form and legitimate is the strongest form. All power can categorize into two types: expert and personal. Expert power is the ability to influence based on expertise, knowledge and past experience. Moreover, personal power is the ability to use inspiration others, resides others and not being vested by the position.

The Influencing Formula

“Trust” + “Preparation” + Courage = Influencing without authority

Professionals use personal power on Trust and courage, and they use expert power on preparation.

There are 3 steps to complete the influencing formula

Step one: Build Trust

Based on Covey’s 4 core of credibility, professionals need integrity, intent and capabilities to get results, which is trust.

There are some ways to build trust and destroy trust:

Build Trust	Trust Busters
Give credit when credit is due	Gossiping
Build relationship	Micromanaging
Inderstand the stakeholders world	Withholding information
Transparent communication	Creating competition
Owning the road block	Abdicating than criticizing
Take it for the team	It is easier to ask for forgiveness

Step two: Prepare for the influence event

The characteristics of trusted professionals are experience, confident, proactive, and charisma. To become a trusted professional, it is important to know the impact and able to answer the question. Therefore, it is significant to be prepared to answer all questions.

Professionals can use SARIE method, which is Situation, Analysis, Recommend action for decision, Implementation and then Evaluation. Follow SARIE can help professionals to lead their solution.

“Facilitate implementation and evaluation”

“Fortune favors the prepared mind”

Step 3: Courageous

Professionals have obstacle in courage when their minds wrap around “what if I fail??” In addition, professionals also have obstacle when they feel others will not let them.

Professionals need to switch from WIIFM, which is the abbreviation of “what is it in for me?” to WIIFO, which is “what is it in for others”.

“Courage without preparation is foolish, and courage without trust is foolhardy”

“To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice”

5 Tips for influencing others

• 4 cores of credibility
• Treat them as partners – collaborate
• Understand their world and timing
• Be clear about the goals/ objectives, motivation and how the idea helps other
• The influencing formula