Influence is power. No matter who you are, where you work, or what your professional goals are, achieving more influence in the workplace is critical for success. Gaining influence on a team can help you work together more effectively. Gaining influence in a supervisory position can make you more respected and appreciated (Penn State, 2017). Gaining influence in a meeting can make your voice more likely to be heard and acknowledged.
Influence has countless advantages, but gaining that influence, like learning a skill, takes time and effort. Fortunately, there are many strategies you can use to cultivate this characteristic. Influence is most often and most easily carried through trust. Only when a co-worker trusts you will he or she be open to your influence (Hughes et al., 1993). If you’re in a higher position in the company hierarchy, it’s possible to convey a demand or assign a task that must be carried out by your employee, but true influence suggests a free will component. If you assigned the same task but didn’t carry a higher authority, would your employee still listen to you and believe that the task is necessary to execute?
This hypothetical may not be relevant to your situation, but regardless of your position in comparison to the positions of your co-workers, if you want a healthy and influential working relationship, you’re going to have to cultivate trust. The easiest way to do that is to be open and honest, no matter what. State your opinions, disclose your apprehensions, and don’t keep secrets. It’s as simple as that.
However, it makes a big difference how you express your thoughts and feelings, being aggressive is not how you want to come off, but being assertive is. Being assertive is the only way to get your ideas noticed, especially when you’re competing with others for visibility, such as in a meeting. You’ll need to present your thoughts and ideas with a high degree of confidence, indicating your convictions, but any excessive degree of confidence could be mistaken for needless arrogance, which will compromise your perceived authority (Yukl, 1989). Tread carefully, especially when you’re unfamiliar with your audience or if you’re presenting your thoughts on an area outside of your expertise.
This assertiveness should extend as a general quality to all your interactions, regardless of whether you’re speaking to employees above, below, or at your level, and regardless of the conversation format. Being assertive, so long as you truly believe in what you’re saying, is a way to cultivate a reputation of authority and earn the ability to influence your peers and employees.
Finally, remember that influence is a two-way street. The more you believe in the people around you and incorporate their ideas into your vision, the more they’ll believe in your ideas and incorporate them into their work habits (Northouse, 2016). If you want to build up this kind of relationship with your co-workers and employees, you first must listen. Listen to everyone’s opinion, and encourage people to speak up, especially if they don’t often voice their opinions. Take time to respect and acknowledge everybody’s opinion, and let people know that you value them.
This creates an atmosphere of mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual teamwork. If you’re spearheading the initiative to build this environment, they’ll come to see you as a leader, and your opinions will naturally be heard, acknowledged, and respected as a result.
Influence is an extraordinary asset in the professional world, but remember, your goal here should be to become more respected in the workplace, not to increase the likelihood of getting others to do your bidding. One is a respectable journey to greater prominence and productivity, while the other is simply a Machiavellian power trip.
References
Hughes, R. L., Ginnett, R. C., & Curphy, G. J. (1993). Power and Influence. Leadership: Enhancing the lessons of experience. Homewood, IL: Richard D. Irwin. Ch. 5. Pp. 107-131.
Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice (7th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
Penn State World Campus. (2017). Lesson 7: Power and Influence. Retrieved from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/canvas/sp17/21711–17327/content/07_lesson/printlesson.html (Links to an external site.)
Yukl, G. A. (1989). Leadership in organizations (2nd ed.). Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J