Strategies to Become More Influential
Our role models are the most influential motivators in decision-making. What influences lead you to a final decision when you are faced with a significant choice?
It is normal to base major decisions on how they will impact your loved ones. In essence, you could say that those closest to you have a significant impact on your life decisions.
Influence is the capacity to affect the personality, development, or behavior of another person or thing.
So, how do you become influential so that you can affect the actions, behaviors, and opinions of others as you wish? Now, we will discuss some simple strategies.
Set the Example
The most effective way to influence someone is through your own actions. This can be both positive and negative. If you want to influence someone to be positive and successful, you must be a living example of the desired behavior.
Be someone that others would want to emulate at work. This implies that you should strive to be punctual, work diligently, and avoid speaking negatively about others.
Additionally, be conscious of how you spend your time at work. Spending it prudently or “milking the clock“? If you expect your colleagues and employees to maximize their time at work, you should do the same.
People are influenced by their peers and will likely imitate their behavior. If you are a leader, then they will follow your example. Remember that you can exert influence over others by setting a good example for them to follow.
Communication is a Key Influencing Factor
When attempting to influence others, it is of utmost importance what and how you say things.
Others will view you as haughty, arrogant, and egotistical if you are condescending or condemning in your speech. Almost certainly, they will avoid you. However, when you are uplifting, encouraging, and genuine, others are more likely to listen and pay attention to what you say.
One way to speak in an encouraging manner is as if you were having dinner with your in-laws. You would not likely speak to them in a harsh or rude manner, nor would you address them with a condescending tone. You would use a soothing tone and speak pleasantly.
Consider employing a “salt and pepper” voice. When you request salt and pepper, are you impolite, demanding, or harsh? Not likely. You likely have a soft, lilting voice, which influences the person to pass the salt and pepper to you immediately.
Be Authoritative, Not Absolute
Obviously, this does not imply that you should lack confidence when speaking; rather, it indicates that you are authoritative but not authoritarian. The distinction is that you speak with assurance as opposed to arrogance.
If you want to be influential in the workplace, you must lead by example and speak in a confident, yet encouraging manner. In this way, becoming a powerful influence can be a rewarding and fruitful experience.
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