Intended for:
These influencing skills training course materials are specifically designed to appeal to a wide audience. The actions have been developed to allow scope for an array of requirements. Having said this, the training course would work particularly well in the areas of management, sales, marketing, business development and customer care.
These training materials will help develop the influencing skills of anyone and ensure you deliver a successful influencing skills training course.
Training course contents:
These influencing skills training course materials have been developed to arm participants with the skills necessary to influence others. The aim is to provide them with an understanding of how people are influenced and to develop practical methods of applying these in the work environment.
Each day you are influenced by the actions of others, whether you are aware of it or not, you are manipulated and persuaded to comply with requests by people who either naturally or through mastery have developed tools of influence. This session will help your participants identify the methods used and equip them with an in depth knowledge of how to use these skills to their own advantage and through this, increase their influencing ability.
Samples of training course materials
Please click on image for larger view…
The main content of the training course materials…
The Human Shortcut – Powerful, but imperfect – A series of examples to demonstrate the phenomena of ‘the human shortcut’. A process our brain uses to reduce workload, which can be used to influence.
Expensive = Good? – An activity that explores the thinking behind the idea that expensive must equal good and the likelihood that this is a ‘shortcut’ reaction. With a discussion about participants own experience.
The Contrast Principle – Several examples of the contrast principle in action followed by an opportunity to practice the use of contrast with an activity.
The Six Principles of Influence
Reciprocation – A discussion around the reciprocation principle and the strong feelings it can invoke followed by a review of the three characteristics of reciprocation and examples of the principle in action. Participants must then develop a scenario that utilises this influencing technique.
Commitment & Consistency – A description of the principle followed by an exercise based around specific scenarios that the participants must complete.
Social Proof – We work out what to believe or how to act based on those around us. An example of social proof in action and a test of the participants susceptibility to it. The participants are also asked to provide their own experience of this and to carry out an activity, which reviews how it is used in the media.
Liking – We like to deal with people that we like. A review of the key factors behind this principle. Understanding when this principle has affected our own judgments and decisions.
Authority – How we can often be made to do anything by a person that is perceived to be in authority. A study of the Milgram experiment that encouraged people to give (fake) electric shocks to people simply because they were told to by someone dressed as a doctor, with a review of the reasoning behind the individuals actions.
Scarcity – Things become more valuable when we perceive a shortage of them. A discussion about instances where this has been proven and how it is used in life.
Marooned – An activity that works on the scarcity principle and consolidates the participants learning throughout the day. A fun method of practicing the influencing skills learnt. Followed by an in-depth review and development actions.
This course is concerned with practical application and participants are required to complete an action plan after each of the sessions above. This must demonstrate how they can implement each of the principles in their own work environment.
Objectives:
At the end of this influencing skills training course your participants will be able to:
- Describe the ‘human shortcut’ and why it makes influence possible
- Explain the six principles of influencing and how they are used
- Identify key situations where they can apply the influencing principles in their own environment
- Follow an action plan for influencing success
