Influencing
Approach
Activities
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Contents
Activity One .......................................................................... 3
Learn what your audience wants and believes ................................ 3
Tell people what they'll get out of it .............................................. 3
Activity Two ......................................................................... 4
Make the idea seem simple .......................................................... 4
Activity Three ....................................................................... 5
Workshopping the Effective Use of Influence ....................... 5
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Activity One
Thinking back to the last exercise – the important thing to BPW, the
one you chose to advocate for.
Look at your thoughts and your group outcomes.
Did you emphasise what’s in it for the people the change effects?
Learn what your audience wants and believes
That is, try to understand where they are coming from before you
start. Do your research before you meet with them, and ask
questions when you are together. Otherwise, your suggestions and
ideas might be ignored or understood for reasons you aren't even
aware of.
Tell people what they'll get out of it
Explain clearly the benefits of doing what you ask, or alternatively,
the disadvantages of not doing it. Most people when asked to do
something want to know, "What's in it for me?" That may seem
somewhat self-centered, but it's a natural question. If you think
about it, all of us do things for a reason. There's always something
in it for us, or we don't do it.
This doesn't mean we (or our audience) need to get money or
prestige out of doing or believing something. What we get might be
feeling good because we are helping out. Or, we might be avoiding
something we don't want to happen. But as simple as it might be,
there is always an answer to "what's in it for me?" And it's an
answer that you should give before this question is asked.
Do this now in your group – does it change anything?
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Activity Two
Thinking back to the same – the important thing to BPW, the one
you chose to advocate for.
Look at your thoughts and your group outcomes.
How can you simplify the idea?
Make the idea seem simple
The more you ask people to do, or the more drastic the change in
opinion you are asking for, the less likely it is people are going to do
it. Try to make what you want people to do seem simple and
logical. Explain how they can do what you ask with very little
change or effort beyond what usually occurs in their lives.
If the change of opinion or action you are working for is
complicated, or very long term, break it into pieces you ask people
to do.
For example, if you want more neighbourhood kids to go to college,
you might concentrate first on getting them to go to class. Then,
they might think about graduating from high school. And as that
looks more likely, they might be willing to consider college more
seriously. But telling a seventh grader that she can finish college
and earn a fantastic salary as an engineer or a doctor may not
seem very realistic. Take big ideas one step at a time.
Do this now – does it change anything?
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Activity Three
Workshopping the Effective Use of Influence
Here are three scenarios in which influence could be used. For each
situation, ask the following questions:
1.
What influence tactic would be the most effective?
2.
What influence tactic would be the least effective?
3.
What is the objective of the influence?
If we have time you will be split into three groups and each take a
scenario. You will consider the questions above and report back to
the main group.
Situation #1: You have heard several accounts from reliable
sources that one of your top performers in your department has
been sexually harassing a co-worker. You would hate to lose this
employee, but you strongly disapprove of people who abuse their
power. You want the behaviour stopped before the company is
slapped with a lawsuit.
Rational persuasion and pressure are the most effective in this
particular situation. This is an example where a soft or pull tactic
would be ineffective. This situation does not allow for the individual
to have a choice. Action is needed now. The objective of the
influence is to stop the behaviour.
Situation #2: You are concerned that the other managers in your
somewhat conservative company have not completely grasped the
need to be more competitive. Even though the firm’s profit and loss
statement and other statistics have been slipping steadily, most of
them do not yet perceive a need for change. You want to encourage
them to implement a Total Quality program.
The objective in this scenario is to influence the employees to see
the need for increased motivation for improved economic gain.
Personal and inspirational appeals could provide the greatest effect
as these create long-term behaviour change. Hard or push tactics
would be the least effective, and could lead to a further decline in
motivation.
Situation #3: You are the chairperson of the Administrative Council
for your local community organization. Looking at the end of year
financial report, you realize that the budget must be increased by
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$5,000 to meet an increase in insurance premiums. You must
address the entire membership to influence increased monetary
giving.
Increased financial giving is the objective of this influence. Rational
persuasion and inspirational appeals could serve to influence the
membership of the benefits of the increased monetary needs. Hard
or push tactics would be the least effective. It could anger the
members into not providing any financial help.
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