Influencing, Persuading…or worse?
We all use what we consider influencing skills every day to try and get what we want. However, although we might think we are influencing, it could be that the methods we are using are quite different to what can be considered ‘influencing skills’.
- Manipulation
- Coercion
- Threats
- Authority
- Persuasion
- Deals
These approaches usually only give us short term wins and more often than not people become resistant to the methods and become less likely to respond to them. The reason for this is that they are more about helping you out than demonstrating that there are benefits for both parties. Once we have experienced these behaviours from one person, we are less open to them in future.
Getting others to do things by showing that there is a real and genuine advantage to them in moving in the direction you want – Influence is the ability to affect a person’s character, beliefs or actions, reaching agreement by discussion
Persuading is to induce, urge or prevail. To convince through reasoning. To talk someone into something.
So, the next time you try to influence someone, consider what style you are using and whether you are in fact influencing, or just telling people what to do!
This article is a short extract from the Trainer Bubble Training Course Materials for ‘Influencing Skills’. Visit our website now to purchase these engaging, activity based training materials.
