Building your Influence at the Workplace

Posted on February 09, 2023 by Prateek Singhal, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.

One common question from managers and ICs alike is how they can get others to buy into their idea. The modern workplace runs on influence, a critical skill for successful leaders. The best leaders are able to get people to come along not because they have to, but because they want to. Great influencers have great power in today’s organizations.

Maybe you are the genius who always has the best ideas that make everyone fall in line effortlessly. But most of us are probably not that! So, what can you do to gain more influence?

Maybe you can just tell people what to do. But doing so really is fool’s gold! Telling someone to do something sets up a dynamic with a clear winner (you) and loser (they). Sure, it can sometimes get you past the immediate hurdle, but over time it will likely lead to poor team dynamics, lack of motivation and ultimately poor business outcomes. Plus, even if you can do this with your direct reports, what about others? Here are a few things that work – with direct reports, peers, and even upwards:

- Truly listen to people: Too often, people listen just to respond. Instead, try to listen to really hear. Understand their needs, motivations, and aspirations. Go beyond just the spoken word. If you understand what they really want, it’s easier to find a win-win that lets both of you share in the success of the outcome.

- Establish a shared vision: Ensure that there is a common goal that both of you share. Then spell it out. By anchoring on something bigger than either person’s ideas, you can create the environment for people to feel less attached to their idea in pursuit of the larger objective.

- Build trust and relationship capital: Build your relationships with people over time by making “deposits” into your “relationship bank” with them. This could mean things like helping out on a project, checking-in on them, or sharing your success with them. This would enable you to withdraw and use this currency when you need to.

- Understand people around them: Messengers are often just as important as the message. Develop an understanding of people’s networks, so you can tap into other messengers who can deliver and/or reinforce your message for greater influence.