L&M Unit 1 - 2.1 (Inf & Pers)

Becoming an effective leader

Outcome 2

2.1 - Review own ability to set direction and communicate this to others

Influence and Persuasion

To be effective as leader, it is important to be able to influence and persuade others. This may be necessary when communicating a direction (see also Delegation)

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Drivers of Influence

Having considered the breadth of people you have to influence and persuade, it follows that we should consider why some people are more influential than others. The following diagram condenses the main tenets of what makes someone influential:

Increasing Effectiveness Based on the Drivers of Influence

In raw terms, influence of others is directly related to threats or rewards. However, there are number of facets that lead to a person being influential. The underlying premise being that you need to be able to engage people to be effective. That effectiveness comes from the traits and skills at the centre of the Drivers of Influence Model. Confident people tend to be credible and influential, particularly when these attributes are combined with the ability to forge good working relationships. If what you are proposing is seen as fair then is much easier to accept; similarly if you articulate your argument with convincing evidence and certainty, it will be difficult to ignore. People that act autonomously – i.e. have initiative and will deliver what they say without prompting – are highly influential. Mastery is about knowing your subject, your job, your market etc, so that you are seen to be contributing from an ‘expert’ stance.

9 Types of Persuasion