Posts Tagged ‘Tactics’

« Older Entries

Go straight to the source

20 May 2009

A colleague  relates a recent story where her agency used someone’s creative work in a video and fully credited the artist.  The video was posted on YouTube and instantly the artist learned of the video and started a campaign to get friends to post comments deriding the agency for using the lyrics without permission.

This could have gotten very ugly, very quickly. You can imagine a viral smear campaign, the good name of non-profit organization maligned, everyone calling in their lawyers, the media reports. All of that could have happened in the course of an afternoon.

My colleague’s solution was not to delete the comments from YouTube or remove the video or call their lawyer. She and her coworkers tracked down the artist and spoke with her directly. And made a deal. Over the phone, in a matter of minutes. The proverbial win-win.

All of this because she decided not to go through channels or take a defensive stance. Her agency acted quickly to open a line of communication, apologized and forthrightly solved the problem.

Something for the influence leader to remember: When there’s a misunderstanding, go to the source, the person who can clear it up. Sincerely apologize if you screwed up, and work together to fix the situation. And, skip the intermediaries, the consiglieri, all the folks that can make the situation more complicated—and possibly worse (even though they intend well).

It’s gutsy to be sure, but it often pays off.

Comment  •  Email This Post  •  Influence Leader Home
Technorati  •  Del.icio.us  •  Digg This!  •  Stumble It!  •  Facebook  •  Twitter
Tags: , , ,

Slow down there, cowboy!

14 April 2009

You’ve got do something! You’ve got to get the boss to change her mind, rally your team, convince a customer, prepare a “silver-bullet” presentation. There’s no time to waste!

Whoa, Hoss! Successful influence is less about doing stuff and more about doing the right stuff. And, the right stuff isn’t usually what comes to mind first.

One thing I’ve noticed about “influence” is that people don’t think much about using it until they hit a wall. They have a setback. As a friend of mine says, they get “spanked.” Now, they’re interested in learning about influence.

When you get spanked, it may due to rushing to action without pausing to reflect on just what the best action might be. If you haven’t weighed at least a few different ideas for how to proceed, chances are you haven’t found the best action yet. The odds are against you.

In US culture, we are biased toward action. Just do it! Get it done! Move, move, MOVE!

A big problem with this approach is that taking the wrong action can actually set you back. Take the wrong step, and you can annoy the person you want to influence or piss off an ally. Unthinking action can make achieving your objective even harder, not easier.

In this moment, when you feel you must act, it may be better to “go slow to go fast.” Pause, think, test ideas. Take the time you need to refine your thinking, define your choices and then pick the best one.

Comment  •  Email This Post  •  Influence Leader Home
Technorati  •  Del.icio.us  •  Digg This!  •  Stumble It!  •  Facebook  •  Twitter
Tags: , ,

Wait to ask for opinions

3 April 2009

You’re in a meeting. You’ve got an objective to, say, get people to move forward on a project idea. Early in the meeting, you ask for people’s opinions on the idea. The group goes around the table, and each person speaks their piece.

Unless everyone’s in favor of going forward, you may have just reduced your chances of success.

Why? Because people’s minds are more open and receptive to different ideas and perspectives when they have not yet publicly stated a position.

Once someone states their position verbally, they get attached to it. They have to defend it. Adhering to their earlier public commitment becomes important.

Of course, people sometimes do change their minds, and they might make a public statement that they’ve had a change of heart. But that doesn’t happen nearly as often as “sticking to the guns.”

That’s because people don’t want to look wishy-washy or to lose face, so they stick to their earlier pronouncements.

This is why the influence leader needs to be careful about asking for public commitments. Don’t ask too early, before you’ve had a chance to make a case, provide facts or share your perspective.

If you ask too early, you’ll have to contend not only with people’s substantive objections to your proposal but also with their need now to look strong and certain.

Comment  •  Email This Post  •  Influence Leader Home
Technorati  •  Del.icio.us  •  Digg This!  •  Stumble It!  •  Facebook  •  Twitter
Tags: , ,

Seduced into convincing

6 March 2009

Have you ever felt that you absolutely must convince someone of something? That you must do everything in your power to sway them—right now, in this moment? Ever had a time where failure is not an option?

If so, you’re in trouble. Big trouble. Not only are you no longer effective, you’ll find that further pushing will only damage the relationship and set you back.

Very few people will respond well to this kind of desperate appeal. I know they seem to in the movies, but it’s very rare in real life.

It’s like “going all in” in poker when you have a bad hand. You’re betting everything on very bad odds. It’s a sucker’s choice.

Some of the folks I’ve seen push too hard are the ones who had very little influence in the first place. It’s as if they are trying to become influential in one, fell swoop. It doesn’t happen that way!

When you feel that your only option is convincing, it means that there’s more you need to know about the situation, about the person you are trying to influence, what their needs and interests, and how they see you.

When you feel the need to convince, it’s time to pull back and reevaluate. Listen carefully to the messages you are receiving from the person or people you’re trying to convince. Look for the meaning underneath their words. Review what you know. Debrief with a trusted advisor.

And, most important of all, come up with a list of multiple approaches or tactics you can try. The more ideas you have, the less likely you’ll be to “bet the ranch” on forcing one to work.

Comment  •  Email This Post  •  Influence Leader Home
Technorati  •  Del.icio.us  •  Digg This!  •  Stumble It!  •  Facebook  •  Twitter
Tags: , ,

Prepare to be influenced

26 February 2009

Is being an influence leader only about getting other people to do things?

Absolutely not.

The influence leader is a partner with other people. You need to be open and accepting of influence from other people. You must allow yourself to be moved.

Some of the most desperate and isolated folks I’ve encountered in organizations are those who refuse to be moved. They think of themselves like a rock from that Simon and Garfunkel song.

They think that being influenced is a sign of weakness. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. They are actually surrendering their power and will likely find themselves ostracized. This is a losing strategy for the influence leader.

There is a good tactical reason to be influenced: it shows folks that you are interested in a reciprocal relationship. You’re ready to go along—where it makes sense. (Remember that influence is about leading people to something they need or want. It’s not manipulation, blind following or horse-trading.) You are a part of the team, not someone who thinks you have the only answers.

What it comes down to is this: People are more likely to be influenced by people they can influence. In other words, if you show yourself to be “influence-able,” your own influence will increase.

So, look for ways to opportunities to be influenced and let people know. It’ll increase—not decrease—your influence with others.

Comment  •  Email This Post  •  Influence Leader Home
Technorati  •  Del.icio.us  •  Digg This!  •  Stumble It!  •  Facebook  •  Twitter
Tags: ,

Act unilaterally

2 February 2009

Ever been in conflict with someone and waited for them to take a step before you would? Ever conditioned a gesture on your part with an expectation of getting something from them in return?

How’s that worked? It can take a pretty long time for those rare, special conditions to be met. In fact, it hardly ever seems to happen. Meanwhile, the two of you remain in conflict and are probably actively perpetuating it.

If this sounds like you, here’s a question for you: Why are you letting the other person control your behavior?

That’s what’s happening, right? You won’t take the step to do the “right thing” because you are waiting for them to do or say something. You’ve placed control of your behavior in the other person, the very person you’re in conflict with.

Doesn’t make much sense, does it? How about taking another approach? Try acting unilaterally. Do the right thing even if you question it will work. In fact, do the right thing because you question whether it will work.

You know the current interaction isn’t working, so try something radically different. Try extending overt courtesy, try paraphrasing what they have to say, seek out their opinion—anything that will break up the current pattern, and do it without expecting anything back from them.

If you try these things because they are the “right thing” to do, you’re much less likely to slip into manipulating them. If you do them because you’re hoping for a favorable response, then you might be tempted to manipulate, and the other person will “smell a rat.”

So, find some productive and positive behavior and do it only because it’s the right thing to do. Don’t announce it; just do it. Act unilaterally and take back control of your own behavior.

Comment  •  Email This Post  •  Influence Leader Home
Technorati  •  Del.icio.us  •  Digg This!  •  Stumble It!  •  Facebook  •  Twitter
Tags: , ,

Having a lot of ideas

7 January 2009

This is my 50th entry in the blog. As I look over my earlier entries, I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes:

“To have a good idea, you’ve got to have a lot of ideas.”

That phrase is attributed to Linus Pauling, the Nobel Prize-winning chemist who also won the Nobel Peace Prize for his early opposition to nuclear testing.

Pauling’s quote reminds me that to successfully influence, you need to have a lot of ideas at your disposal: different perspectives and insights, different tools and techniques to try, different mental models that describe what’s going on under the surface.

If ever you feel you don’t have a good idea about how to proceed (you’re stuck), then by all means get some more ideas.

Each influence situation, whether big or small, requires creativity, innovation and flexibility in order to achieve the ultimate goal and get results. And, each situation is different, calling on a different mix of tools and techniques.

My goal in writing these blog entries is to provide some of those ideas, perspectives, and tools. Not all of them work in every situation, but I’ve seen each of them work in some situations.

I invite you to keep reading. There is much more to come.

Comment  •  Email This Post  •  Influence Leader Home
Technorati  •  Del.icio.us  •  Digg This!  •  Stumble It!  •  Facebook  •  Twitter
Tags: , ,

Got your scaffolding in place?

2 January 2009

Today, I heard a radio program about new year’s resolutions. One commentator urged people to have their “scaffolding” in place to support them in fulfilling their resolutions. If you want to lose weight, then stock your kitchen with healthy foods and get yourself a weight loss buddy.

In other words, don’t aim for dropping 10 pounds without indentifying the support and steps you need to be successful. Before you start, make sure your scaffolding is in place.

This advice applies just as well to the influence leader. Before you start trying to change your company or influence someone, prepare yourself to be successful.

Is your support system in place? Whose political support do you need? Who will be your kitchen cabinet of advisors? Who will be your coach or mentor?

What’s your business case for the change? Does it really make sense? Is it persuasive?

What is your plan of action? What do you most need to focus on? What are the steps you will take? What order should you take them in?

What do you need to be on the lookout for? What will you do when you encounter a roadblock? Who might resist your efforts?

Whenever I work on my house, I’m always tempted to stand on a chair and do it with a pocket knife, rather than go downstairs and get the stepladder and proper tools.

Whenever I take the extra effort to “build my scaffolding,” I am more likely to get the results I want—often faster and easier than I expected.

Comment  •  Email This Post  •  Influence Leader Home
Technorati  •  Del.icio.us  •  Digg This!  •  Stumble It!  •  Facebook  •  Twitter
Tags: , ,

How to start a difficult conversation

8 December 2008

One of the big reasons people avoid dialogue is that they don’t know how to start a conversation without starting a fight as well.

In my last post, I promised some ideas about how to deal with this problem, so here we go.

First, no matter which of the following lead-ins you try always check with the person to make sure this is a “good time to talk.” Tell them you have something important to discuss and want to do it without interruptions. (If successful, these conversations always run over 30 minutes and often over an hour.) If it’s not a good time, schedule a time later.

Start with data, not accusations or attacks. Describe the behavior, words, or actions you’ve seen that you are concerned or upset about. Starting with the data is the easiest way into a difficult conversation and reduces the chances the other person will respond defensively (and escalate the conflict).

Acknowledge the troubles. Reflect that the two of you have had trouble talking in the past. Say you’d like to do better. Invite them to join you in trying again. Set a ground rule that if it gets too hot, either of you can suggest taking a break or postponing.

Disclose your discomfort. Tell the other person how uncomfortable it is to talk with them about this issue. Ask for what will make you more comfortable. Query them about their level of comfort and what they’d want to be at ease. (This is a higher risk strategy, so do it only if you can imagine being OK in the event that the other person rejects your feelings.)

The key to a successful entry into a difficult conversation is to ease into it. Don’t blast away. Slowly ramp up the dialogue to give both of you the chance to be successful.

Comment  •  Email This Post  •  Influence Leader Home
Technorati  •  Del.icio.us  •  Digg This!  •  Stumble It!  •  Facebook  •  Twitter
Tags: , ,

Questions as hard power

10 November 2008

Ever watched a press conference or interview an observed how hard the people responding work to avoid answering the questions they’re asked? In debates, town hall meetings, and call-in shows, questions are carefully screened.

Why?

Because questions are powerful—even revolutionary. They’re often more powerful than answers. The questions you ask can change minds, expose inconsistencies, and even raise people’s ire (if they didn’t want that question asked).

Once a question is out there, it can’t be retracted. And, once asked, a question demands an answer, even if it’s suppressed. They lead you somewhere. This is why questions can be threatening to people.

For that reason, I think of questions—like “How does this project advance our mission?” or “If we treat customer X this way, why don’t we treat customer Y the same way?”—as hard power tools. They don’t exactly coerce someone to do something, but they make it mighty hard for folks to avoid the issues they raise.

Like all hard power tools, when asking questions, influence leaders need to make sure they are acting strategically and without using manipulation. Questions can be mighty powerful and misuse of them can lead to big problems.

Comment  •  Email This Post  •  Influence Leader Home
Technorati  •  Del.icio.us  •  Digg This!  •  Stumble It!  •  Facebook  •  Twitter
Tags: , ,

« Older Entries