Do you describe yourself as an influencer? I mainly mean this in the context of leadership, as there are other places and ways of influencing – including through writing articles like this.
In leadership you are responsible for the behaviour and performance of others, and the question is to what extent and how do you influence those for whom you are responsible?
Autocratic leaders influence their subordinates by providing direction and instructions, insisting on compliance, with rewards for such behaviour and penalties for any deviation. It’s an “efficient” way of leading, as no time is “wasted” on consultation… which delays decision-making.
On the other hand, leaders who connect rather than control as they interact with their staff accept that as influencers rather than direction-givers, they must invest time in persuading them to align with whatever it is they want to achieve, and how.
This first requires identifying the big picture, the overall purpose, the “why”, of what they should all be up to, and having them buy into it. Also to attract new people who align with that picture, and to retain those already with them.
Then comes how that purpose can be fulfilled. Different functions, different people, will have different perspectives – including you. So how do you influence consensus-building – so different from simple instruction-giving? Let me start with the need to listen. As Stephen Covey puts it, “seek to understand before you seek to be understood.” It is only if you know where everyone is coming from that you will know how to bring them together.
What if some resist what you are proposing, making it hard for you to influence them? What if it involves transformative change that disrupts organisational structure and individual comfort? Change is the norm these days, and one has to work with it whether it feels comfortable or not, and indeed even if one perceives oneself as a “loser” as a result… at least in the short term.
How do you influence the adoption of uncomfortable change, replacing anxiety by excitement, pessimism by optimism? This takes us back to the big picture, to the consequences of not changing, which would jeopardise the sustainability of the business.
In any organisation there will be a spectrum from the very influenceable characters to the totally uninfluenceable ones, and it’s the influenceables with whom you must first engage, to help them become champions of the new scene. And the performance management system must recognise and further motivate them appropriately, while helping the resisters to develop a more positive mindset.
Earlier I mentioned listening, and this implies conversation, where everyone has an opportunity to be influenced and to influence. This in a culture of openness, where people are relaxed about expressing themselves, trusting that they will be listened to with respect. There must be a spirit of give and take – including from you, often in a mediation role – so that everyone ends up owning the outcome of the engagement.
A brilliant way of handling all this is through Kaizen, the Japanese-initiated approach to inclusiveness, where leaders have a much easier time bringing people together. I’ve seen it in action here, where staff at all levels are actively involved in bringing about high performance, not least through continuous improvement and waste reduction. You influence the “why” and the “where”, and the staff support with the “how”.
What about influencing yourself? Where does your behaviour need to change? How will you phase out habits that may have once worked but that are now counterproductive? Can you have constructive conversations with yourself, perhaps enhanced by a coach, to let go of some of your past styles and adopt new ones? A coach can also work with you to help you become a stronger influencer of others, not least by opening you up to softer ways of engaging.
Before closing, I want to mention other kinds of influencing. First, the contrast between the lecturer and the facilitator, where it is the facilitator, through interactivity, who is more likely to influence. This is because facilitators ask more than tell, engaging with their participants rather than just talking at an audience.
Then, major institutions such as the World Bank and IMF. Having worked with them over the years, I know that much of what they do is to influence quietly behind the scenes, without taking either credit or blame.
Finally in this category let me mention the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, much of whose work is conflict resolution and peace-building, again quietly. Here the bulldog does not need teeth, but rather the influencing skills of mediation. Even in their other more public work, they influence in partnership with other institutions, ones that provide the needed teeth.
The writer is the chairman of management consultancy The DEPOT, co-founder of the Institute of Responsible Leadership, and member of Kepsa Advisory Council. [email protected], www.mike-eldon.com
