The art of influence
Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.
—-Napoleon Hill
If you want to know how to make friends and influence people, the road might be easier said than done. Friendship can convey great things to anyone. It can be a source of comfort, refuge, and shelter, and, above all, it has the power to influence.
Winning friends and influencing them comes hand in hand. It doesn’t matter how long or how the friendship started, but it matters more for the authentic act of being friends. Being friends is not the end of the line or the rope for you and the ability to influence people right.
You can start by gaining your friends and letting them see the importance of your way of thinking. You can do this either by making it known that you cannot win any arguments. In this way, your humility opens the way to let them see your prospects. If you intend to convince others, you must prevent criticism that is not helpful or constructive because, in this way, you will surely reach friends.
Moreover, it would help if you made yourself attractive to others so that your charisma shines. Excellence in life is also determined by the way you can influence others in your way of thinking. Regardless of the statements, passing on others’ knowledge is always crucial, and it is essential to be able to incorporate everything you know and make others follow your example.
If you aim to win people over to your side of the fence, you need to establish strong relationships and genuine connections. You have to give a sincere and sincere appreciation for the things they have done. It would be best if you make others interested in what you say and what you share. Moreover, do not talk at any time, but listen to the things that others would like to say and, in this way, form the bond of friendship.
Above all, you need to respect others and make sure that their opinions are heard. If you want to know how to make friends and influence people, you need to state the things that can make connections, create friendships, strengthen ties and, above all, give respect and dignity to everyone. Consideration is vital in any company and relationship; it can support or break the connection, which is why respect between friends and colleagues is one of the best ways to start.
Facts About the Art of Influence
We can all work on our skills to influence others – be it within a company, family, or group of friends. In the corporate world, influence is a force that you can control through your supervisor, senior management, clients, and coworkers.
Some people possess more power through influence than those who seem to be in control. Many of us have seen an administrative assistant running an entire department or company.
So how do you start developing the art of influence? One of the best ways to start is to build a reputation for integrity. Therefore, you should not engage in any backbiting, as it always takes away your credibility. It may be tempting to jump on the wagon and express a third party’s negative opinion, but that will not develop your ability to influence a non-existent person.
Gossip and slander will destroy your honor with everyone involved. Even perceived allies will question your credibility, when you engage in backbiting. Good alliances are built on loyalty, dependability, and integrity. The bottom line is: To be an influencer within a group, you must be seen as a foundation of integrity.
The next most valuable component is being genuinely interested in helping others and showing your interest in them. How connected you are to others’ needs; you will develop entire networks and lasting connections.
Only by setting aside time to understand different actions, cultures, behavior, and point of view can you grow impact. The developmental influence should not be for self-centered reasons. It is best when used for the general good of the group.
The Art of Influencing Decision Makers
By learning the art of influencing decision-makers, you can make an essential and positive difference to your company’s future.
Facts in influencing decision-makers
There are two facts you need to accept before you become good at influencing decision-makers.
First of all, you need to know that every decision made by a company is made by the person who has the power or authority to make that decision. This is not necessarily the right person, the smartest, or the best.
Second, if you can influence the key decision-makers in your company, you will also create positive changes. If you can’t influence the decision-makers in your company, you’ll make less of a difference.
Three core values influence decision-makers
1. It is your responsibility to sell, not buy.
You do not have to purchase, but you have to buy. A good salesperson is responsible for getting results. No seller can blame their customers for not buying their product.
In large companies, many people spend a lot of time blaming management for not buying their ideas. We become ineffective when we focus on what others have done to make mistakes rather than what we can do to correct things.
2. Connecting the needs of decision-makers.
Never tell your customers that you need to buy this product. Otherwise, I will not achieve my goals.
An effective seller refers to the needs of the buyers, not theirs. Similarly, influential influencers relate to the organization’s more significant needs, not just the needs of their unit or team.
3. Don’t just sell interest. Show the costs as well.
Each company has limited resources, time, and energy. Accepting your idea can mean rejecting another idea that someone else thinks is great. Be prepared for a realistic discussion of the costs of your opinion. Recognize that something else should be sacrificed to implement your idea.
By preparing for a realistic discussion of costs, you can prepare for objections to your idea before it happens. You can recognize the sacrifice that someone else should make and indicate how your plan’s benefits can outweigh the costs.
The Art of Influencing People
Individual managers lead to creativity and innovation and use the initiative and contribute to the success of their company. In other words, management’s influence is crucial for the success of a team, and the art of influencing people must be learned and practiced for them to perform well. It is instrumental and can be used to set higher standards of behavior. Here are some tips on how managers can influence the performance of their team members through proper management:
Managers need to communicate frequently with their team members to discuss goals and objectives in a meaningful way. Managers need to be able to influence everyone who listens to them. Without adequate communication skills, employees tend to neglect managers’ conversations and use their own rules while working.
Managers need to develop a unique team spirit to influence employees. Managers need to learn to debate with their team members. They should also learn to listen to feedback and extract information to improve their decision-making process. Employee feedback cannot exceed the influence of a manager.
Managers can influence employees to become faithful followers while playing the role of leader. Discipline is one of the essential qualities of a manager’s profile. Managers must also be positive, expressing their thoughts and explaining their goals and objectives. But the manager must understand the goals and objectives.
Managers should motivate their employees to quickly adapt to the company’s working conditions with its influence. Managers should take care of the organization but also the needs of the people who work for it. Organizations have employees who come from different backgrounds and lifestyles, and it is the responsibility of managers to combine them and create excellent working conditions. Employees expect to grow and be promoted, and the only way to do this is by following a manager and a leader who influences the way they behave.
Employee growth and company development are directly related to the influence of their management team. Companies need to make arrangements for their employees’ growth through training, mentoring, and continuous evaluation. Leaders need to spend time with their employees and become familiar with their difficulties and challenges. At the same time, managers need to keep a distance between themselves and their power of influence, which is only achieved through limited personal involvement. Managers should focus on maintaining a consistent and consistent work style. Influential managers are essential to a company’s success.
Influencing Skills to Build Instant Rapport
A relationship is essential in a healthy relationship with anyone. Relationship-building skills are part of the influencing skills you can use to help people like you create a win-win situation and achieve your goals. Whether it’s meeting potential buyers in sales, making an exciting contract, or even developing friends and family, the relationship is essential. Without it, you will hardly get anything.
There are many ways to build relationships. Some of these techniques are derived from NLP or neuro-linguistic programming, which is a growing self-help tool. Regardless of the method you use, realize that it can take some time and practice to get used to it. You may make mistakes at first. Accept them as part of a learning experience. No doubt you will improve after consistent practice.
Common communities
We often like people who are like us. We tend to feel more at ease and safe with the people we share common ground with. It is said that feathered birds gather. The more we have something in common with another person, the more we tend to like it. This is a way to build a relationship.
You need to find common ground with another person as soon as possible, usually within the first few minutes of the meeting. This is often done through small discussions or casual conversations. Ask questions about what kind of food they like to eat, what type of music they listen to, what basketball team they want, etc. Find as many common points as possible in the first few minutes of the conversation. You don’t have to have much in common with them to get a report. One or two would be enough.
pace
This is an NLP technique in which you fit in and mirror another person’s physiology without making it seem obvious. This technique aims not to imitate 100% the posture or movements of the other person. You have to match their general posture and the general tone of voice, etc. For example, if the person you’re talking to is leaning forward, you might want to lean on as well.
Other things to mirror and appropriate are the person’s speech rhythm and the person’s breathing. Matching the other person’s breathing is relatively more complicated and requires some practice. When matching the other person’s speech, the factors to consider are volume, tone, and speed. These things don’t have to be precisely the same as the other person’s, as long as you match them a little. If the person screams, you don’t have to call at the same time. You may want to raise your voice a little.
Lead
One way to test if you are in a relationship with another person is when they are the ones that fit and reflect your physiology. This is called a leader. When you are in a relationship with someone, try to lead them by changing your position. If you are in a relationship, the other person will match your new place. This is an enjoyable thing to do.
Three of the ways you can get an instant rapport are common elements, pace, and leadership. If you practice these techniques, your influencing skills will benefit greatly.
Good books have been written on “The art of influence”. Some of them include: –
Ø How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Ø Developing Your Influencing Skills: How to Influence People by Increasing Your Credibility, Trustworthiness and Communication Skillsby Deborah Dalley and Lois Burton
Ø The small BIG. Small changes that spark big influenceBy Steve Martin, Noah Golstein and Robert Cialdini
Link for some learnings: –
https://review.firstround.com/master-the-art-of-influence-persuasion-as-a-skill-and-habit