The payoff change makers want, you know the saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” In the world of business and entrepreneurship, this rings especially true.
Influencing others is a crucial skill to possess if you want to make an impact, build successful relationships, and achieve your goals. Whether you’re a team leader, a business owner, or a change maker, the ability to influence people without squandering your time, talent, and resources is essential. But how do you do it effectively? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the keys to influencing others and provide you with actionable strategies to master this skill.
The Power of Influence begins with persuasion. To persuade others, you must understand what drives human behavior. People are motivated by their desires, fears, and needs. To influence them, you must tap into these motivations and present your ideas in a way that resonates with them.
Whether you’re pitching a new business idea or trying to garner support for a cause, understanding the power of persuasion is key. The ability to frame your message in a way that speaks to people’s desires and addresses their fears is a fundamental skill for influencing others without wasting time and resources. The pay off that change makers want is working together, having collaboration.
In order to do this, we need to build credibility and trust factors, they are the cornerstones of influence. People are more likely to listen to and follow those whom they trust and believe in. Building credibility and trust requires demonstrating expertise, integrity, and reliability.
My friend Mitch Mitchell, does a podcast about credibility.. after interviewing 500 professionals, he found not very many people are credible. I did interview him a couple of years ago, here’s our interview. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/impactfullegacy/episodes/Mitchell-Levy-Episode-19-e90m51
It is through our track record of success, your knowledge and expertise in your field, or your commitment to ethical business practices, establishing credibility and trust lays the foundation for successful influence.
One of the most powerful ways to influence others is to listen and empathize with them. When you take the time to genuinely listen to people and understand their perspectives, you build rapport and trust. Empathy allows you to step into someone else’s shoes and see the world from their point of view.
This not only fosters understanding but also allows you to tailor your message and approach to resonate with them. By actively listening and empathizing, you can gain valuable insights into what drives their behavior and tailor your approach to effectively influence them.
How many times have you found if you just take the time to listen you will have more leverage and trust with others. Social proof is a powerful influencer. People are more likely to be swayed by the actions and opinions of others. Whether it’s through testimonials, endorsements, or demonstrations of social support, leveraging social proof can significantly impact your ability to influence others. We need to create impact all around us.
As a Change Agent or Maker, we are making or create our own impact.. The payoff change makers want is for other people to join us. How can you join us?
- Start investigating how you too can create your own impact
- Tune into the Talk show, “Create Impact.” where I will be interviewing people who are doing it
- Discuss amongst other business owners what you can do
Until next time,
Be Kind