Influence: The Power of Persuasion

Learning Objectives

• Distinguish power from influence• Identify sources of power and targeted areas

of influence professionally and personally• Differentiate between the five influencing

behavior styles and the advantages and disadvantages of each

• Determine which influencing behavior styles applied to real-life situations

POWER & INFLUENCE: DEFINED

Power:

ability, strength and authority

Power Sources• Formal authority associated with your job, role, or office• Referred or delegated power from a person or group that you represent• Information, skills, expertise• Reputation for achievements and ability to get things done• Moral authority, based on the respect and admiration of others for the way you

act on your principles• Personal power, based on self confidence and commitment to an idea

Power is something you have and influence is something you do

Influence:to sway or induce another to take action

Influence…

• is using power to move someone to help achieve your goal

• conveys respect as compared to using direct power

• results in action by the other that is voluntary rather than coerced

• Influence is the best choice when you have no legitimate power

What do you use to get work done?

• Position Power• Expert Power• Personal Power• Relationship Power

Think of Someone

you want to Influence…

The Target of Influence helps us easily categorizes issues and areas

we can and can’t control

No Influence

Indirect Influence

Direct Influence

Control

ME

Prox

imity

Relationship (strength)

INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR STYLES: SELF ASSESSMENT

•Influencing Styles•Competing•Avoiding•Accommodating•Compromising•Collaborating

Break 15 minutes

DIAGNOSE YOUR INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR STYLE

Competitive Style• Highly goal-oriented and Relationships take

on a lower priority• Uses aggressive behavior to resolve conflicts• Have a need to win; therefore others must

lose, creating win-lose situations

Competitive Style• Good: If the decision is correct, it’s quick• Bad: Breed hostility and resentment

Avoiding Style• Would rather hide and ignore conflict than

resolve it; unassertive• Tend to give up personal goals and display

passive behavior creating lose-lose situations

Avoiding Style• Good: Maintain relationships that would be

hurt by conflict• Bad: Overuse of the style leads to others

walking over the avoider

Accommodating Style• Ignore own goals and resolve conflict by

giving in to others• unassertive and cooperative creating a you

lose situation

Accommodating Style• Good: Maintains relationships• Bad: May be taken advantage of

Compromising Style• Willing to sacrifice some of their goals while

persuading others to give up part of theirs• Assertive and cooperative-result is either

win-lose or lose-lose

Compromising Style• Good: Relationships maintained and conflicts

are removed• Bad: May create less than ideal outcome and

game playing

Collaborating Style• View conflicts as problems to be solved

finding solutions agreeable to all sides (win-win)

Collaborating Style• Good: Both sides get what they want and

negative feelings eliminated

•Bad: Takes time and effort

APPROPRIATE USE OF INFLUENCING STYLE

Use a Competing Style when

• conflict involving personal differences• relationships are not critical• others take advantage of noncompetitive

behavior• in crisis• unpopular decisions need to be implemented

Use an Avoiding Style when

• stakes are not high• confrontation will hurt the relationship• you are unlikely to satisfying your wants• some else can resolve the conflict

Use an Accommodating Style when

• positive relationships outweigh other considerations

• you are open to suggestions/changes• minimizing losses• harmony and stability are valued

Use a Compromising Style when

• no time restraints• important issues leave no simple solutions• all conflicting people are equal in power and

have strong interests in different solutions

Use a Collaborating Style when

• time is not a concern• maintaining relationships is important• merging differing perspectives• gaining commitment through

consensus building

ACTION PLANTOOLS/TAKEAWAYS