Overcoming Barriers to InnovationThrough Influence and Impact

Presented by Linda Naiman For STEP, June 28, 2006

www.creativityatwork.com

Learning Objectives

• Definitions• Key characteristics of

influencing• Strategies for overcoming

barriers to innovation through influence and impact

• Building and leveraging your personal brand

The true measure of leadership is influence — nothing more. Nothing less. —John Maxwell

Power & Influence Defined

Power is the potential ability to: • Influence behaviour• Change the course

of events• Overcome resistance

4 Types of Influencing Power

1. Positional2. Personal 3. Expertise4. Connections/Centrality

Leadership is the activity of influencing people to cooperate towards some goal which they come to find desirable and which motivates them over the long haul. — Ordway Tead, author of The Art of Influence (1935)

Social Networks

Social Network Analysis reveals the hidden connections between people. • Who are the influencers? • Where is collaboration is breaking down?• Where are decisions are getting bogged

down?

Cardinal Richelieu 1585-1642

• Brought France to position of unrivalled political dominance and cultural pre-eminence until Revolution of 1789

• Orchestrated patronage of artists, architects and intellectuals

• Achieved national unity through glory of France, the glory of God, the virtue of loyal service to the crown and against heresy and discord.Prime Minister to Louis XIII

Columbia Space Shuttle

• “Knows how to influence up in a constructive way” — scored last place on managerial effectiveness in all items when people evaluated their managers in NASA – immediately before the Columbia space shuttle exploded. (Warner Burke cited by Goldsmith)

• While lack of effective upward influence was not the only cause of the explosion, it was a clear contributing factor.

IBM’s Grassroots Innovation

John Patrick: "Gopher epiphany." 1993"Get Connected” manifestoIBM created Internet division 1995 (www.fastcompany.com/magazine/11/ibm.html)

What are the characteristics of influencers?

Characteristics of Influencers

• Vision of Future— focus on greater good

• Potent point of view• Clarity of Purpose• Integrity• Track Record• Relational Currency —

friends/mentors/allies • Access and control of

agendas• Centrality + Collaboration• Visible measurements• Accountability

Influencing Strategies

1. Reason2. Friendliness/Liking3. Coalition/Allies4. Bargaining5. Assertiveness6. Higher Authority

7. Sanctions8. Bridging 9. Reciprocity10. Scarcity11. Consensus12. Consistency/

Commitment

Influencing Techniques

Reason      A. If logic is irrefutable then your case will also be

irrefutable.D. If info or logic is suspect strategy is weakened. FriendlinessA. Others enjoy supporting youB. D. Overuse may lead people to suspect your

motives and competence.Coalition   A. May seem overwhelming to others.D. May be interpreted as conspiracy.

A=Advantage D=Disadvantage

Influencing Techniques

Assertiveness     A. Very effective when immediate action is essential. D. May create resentment with overuse.Higher Authority  A. Effective when dealing with those who are reluctant to

change. D. May undermine relationships or be interpreted as a

threat.  The Higher Authority may view it as weakness.Bargaining  A. May provide a quick result when you have something

valuable/desirable to negotiate.    D. Creates obligations for the influencer.

Most-to-Least Popular Strategies

When Managers Influenced Superiors

– Reason– Coalition – Friendliness– Bargaining– Assertiveness– Higher Authority

When Managers Influenced Subordinates

– Reason– Assertiveness– Friendliness– Evaluation– Bargaining– High Authority– Sanction

Source: David Kipnis et al., “Patterns of Managerial Influence: Shotgun Managers, Tacticians, and Bystanders,” Organizational Dynamics 12, no. 3 (New York: American Management Association, 1984), 62.

Expand your Spheres of Influence

1. Increase your visibility2. Model mastery3. Focus on future4. Lateral Power: Shift emphasis from transactional

to relational5. Get input from stakeholders6. Build networks7. Language—appeal to heart as well as the mind8. Ask compelling questions. Question

assumptions.9. Shift from being problem-spotter to problem-solver10.Essence vs form11.Sell Solutions

Selling Solutions

1. State the problem/challenge and its impact

2. Provide 3 alternative solutions with advantages and disadvantages of each

3. Present your recommendation and rationale

4. Get feedback and/or agreement for action

(Source Ken Blanchard)

Brand Power

What is a brand?

Tom Peters calls it “influence power… It's being known for making the most significant contribution in your particular area. It's ‘reputational’ power.”

Your brand is your promise.

Tom Chappellf (Tom's of Maine): "You have to define yourself based on a point of view you care deeply about."

Leveraging your brand

• What are you known for? • How are you increasing your

knowledge-base?• What does your visibility program

consist of?• How can you build your network?• When you look at your brand's

assets, what can you add to boost your reputation and influence?

Take Tom Peters’ brand equity test: www.creativityatwork.com/Newsletters/Jan03Brand-equity.html

“If you want to build a boat, do not instruct the men to saw wood, stitch the sails, prepare the tools and organize the work, but make them long for setting sail and travel to distant lands.” Antoine De Saint-Exupéry

Source: cc Gesal

ResourcesLeadership and Power Base Development: Using

Power Effectively to Manage Diversity and Job-Related Interdependence in Complex Organizations (Michelson) www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/au-24/michelson.pdf

Effectively Influencing Up: Ensuring That Your Knowledge Makes a Difference (Goldsmith) www.marshallgoldsmithlibrary.com/cim/articles_alpha.php

Power and Influence Beyond Formal Authority (Kotter)

Orchestrating Collaboration at Work(VanGundy and Naiman)

Social networking www.research.ibm.com/thinkresearch/pages/2005/20050706_think.shtmlwww. Orgnet.com

Corporate AlchemyTurning leaden thinking into gold through consulting, coaching and training.

LN@creativityatwork.comwww.creativityatwork.com

Tel: 604.327.1565

Creativity at Work