Influencing Others – Effective Communication Skills

1. Influencing Others – Effective Communication Skills UMass Medical School Core Competencies Accountability Initiative Problem/Solving/Decision Making Quantity/Quality of Work Service Orientation Leadership/Management Diversity & Inclusion

2. Overview • What the Best Influencers Do Before They Influence • How to Choose the Best Influence Methods for Your Situation • How to Make Your Influence Welcomed and Wanted • How Effective Communication and Influencing Skills Can Enhance your UMMS Core Competency Skills • ***Please print out the Influencing Others – Effective Communication Skills Workbook before continuing*** Agenda

3. Communicating effectively is one of the most important of all life skills • Takes skill to become an “Effective Communicator” • Communication skills need to be developed and honed on an ongoing basis • Must communicate well to be effective, influence outcomes and collaborate with your peers Overview

4. Interpersonal Skills – Face-to-Face communication • Verbal Communication - The power of language • Non-Verbal Communication - Actions speak louder than words • Listening – A vital interpersonal skill Basic Communication Skills

5. Influence: • To affect or change how someone or something develops, behaves or thinks. • ~Cambridge Dictionary Definition of Influence

6. A. Remember the Two Truths of Influence • Most people aren’t motivated to do what we want them to do • Anyone can be a better influencer, starting today What the Best Influencers Do Before They Influence

7. B. Start with their perspective, not ours • Number #1 mistake influencers make without even realizing - pushing your agenda on someone else • You need to immerse yourself in their perspective. (What are they thinking, feeling, etc.?) • Three Key Success Factors: • One, their objectives relative to yours. • Two, their perceived relationship with you. • Three, their operating style. What the Best Influencers Do Before They Influence (Cont’d)

8. C. Choose the right person to influence • Don’t waste time and risk your goals by influencing the wrong people about the wrong things • For each of your goals, list the decision makers. • Who has the power to say yes or no? Who are the people who most significantly affect whether you'll achieve your goal or not? Make a list of real names. What the Best Influencers Do Before They Influence (Cont’d-2)

9. Before your important influence attempts, go through each method on the lists in the next couple of slides and ask: • Which methods apply to the people in my situation? • What’s the best way to apply each method? • Methods in the first list are often linked to near-term persuasion. • Methods in the second list are often linked to longer-lasting commitment. How to Choose the Best InfluenceMethods for Your Situation

10. Short-Term Persuasion Methods: • Provide Rational Analysis • Cite Credible Sources • Establish Urgency or Scarcity • Use Social Proof • Initiate Reciprocation or Exchange How to Choose the Best InfluenceMethods for Your Situation – List of Short-Term Methods

11. 1. Provide Rational Analysis • Method uses: Reasoning, logic, data analysis. • Weighing pros versus cons. Benefits versus costs. But remember, people reason • differently and make decisions based on factors in addition to reason and logic. • Best applied: Situations where the person you want to influence relies heavily on data and logic to make decisions. • How to apply this method: • First, proactively engage with people who think independently, challenge you, and make suggestions. • Second, generate alternatives, test assumptions, and explore possibilities. • Third, keep asking. What information is missing from my analysis? • Fourth and finally, keep prioritizing. How to Choose the Best InfluenceMethods for Your Situation (Short-Term) – Method #1

12. 2. Cite Credible Sources • Method uses: Sources by reputable institutions (i.e. leading research centers, prestigious universities or foundations); quotes from credible and authoritative individuals • Best applied: Situations where person you want to influence relies heavily on research or people in authority to make decisions. • How to apply this method: • First, determine who the leading experts, authority figures and thought leaders are on your topic, and how you can quote them or refer to their insights. • Second, explore the leading research centers, institutes and university's who do work relevant to your topic, and summarize their findings. • Third, and finally, choose. Of all these insights and findings, which are most likely to be persuasive to the people in your current situation. How to Choose the Best InfluenceMethods for Your Situation (Short-Term) – Method #2

13. 3. Establish Urgency or Scarcity • Method uses: Near term limits or deadlines as motivating factors. • Best applied: In situations where the person you want to motivate will benefit by acting quickly. • How to apply this method: • First, make it clear that now is the time to act. Explain why they'll be too late if they wait. • Second, it's not only about time. If applicable, explain why resources, the information you provide, or supplies are limited. • Third and finally, research shows that loss is the most powerful form of scarcity, so clarify what they will lose, or miss, if they fail to take action. • Bottom line, remember to use urgency before it's too late. How to Choose the Best InfluenceMethods for Your Situation (Short-Term) – Method #3

14. 4. Use Social Proof • Method uses: Proof which looks to other people similar to us (or in a similar situation) for when you are uncertain. Can be very powerful, but use it carefully (avoid negative social proof). • Best applied: Situations where the person you want to influence typically follows popular opinion to make decisions. • How to apply this method: • First, point out trends in opinion or behavior, using surveys, polls, purchase rates, and so forth that point in the direction you want people to behave. • Second, give testimonials or share success stories from individuals, teams, or organizations as similar as possible to those you're trying to persuade. • Third and finally, beware of negative social proof. Drawing attention to groups of people doing what you don't want. It backfires. How to Choose the Best InfluenceMethods for Your Situation (Short-Term) – Method #4

15. 5. Initiate Reciprocation or Exchange • Method: Doing something for others in exchange for the outcome you want. • Best applied: In situations where the person you want to influence can also benefit. • How to apply this method: • First, find ways to offer value to the people you want to influence, even before you ask anything of them. • And second, offer that value in ways that are personalized for them, meaningful to them and unexpected by them. • Go first, initiate reciprocation. How to Choose the Best InfluenceMethods for Your Situation (Short-Term) – Method #5

16. Break out into groups of two • I will provide each team a scenario where one will try to influence the other using the suggested method or another from the list • Group discussion Exercise

17. Long-Term Persuasion Methods: • Align With Shared Values or Principles • Build Rapport, Relationship, and Trust • Like and be Likeable • Lead by Example • Turn Objections into Actions How to Choose the Best InfluenceMethods for Your Situation – List of Long-Term Methods

18. 1. Align with Shared Values, Principles, or Purposes • Method: Using shared values and principles to motivate and inspire people. • Best applied: Situations where people want to connect to broader purposes. • How to apply this method: • First, focus on values and principles that you share with the people you're persuading and show how your recommendation puts them in action. • Second, clarify how your recommendation advances the positive purpose of the people you're persuading, your family, community, team, or organization. • Align your proposals with shared values, principles, and purpose. How to Choose the Best InfluenceMethods for Your Situation (Long-Term) – Method #1

19. 2. Build Rapport, Relationships, and Trust • Method: Leverages the strength of relationships to influence. • Best applied: Situations where you are looking to earn trust and build rapport with other people. • How to apply this method: • First, be a great listener. Pay them the respect of paying attention and let them know you understand them. • Second, build rapport proactively. Make an extra effort to learn about the people you're dealing with. • Third, ask the people involved in your conversations, meetings, projects, what would make it a great outcome for them. • Fourth, state your positive intent up front. Do this before miscommunications get started. • Fifth, credit them explicitly for their positive intent. This is very helpful to remember whenever you find yourself getting upset with your counterpart. How to Choose the Best InfluenceMethods for Your Situation (Long-Term) – Method #2

20. 3. Like and Be Likable • Method: Focuses on understanding others and being transparent. • Best applied: In most types of situations, particularly, where you need to be relatable. • How to apply this method: • First, value the person anddemonstrate a positive attitude. • Second, look for similarities and draw attention to them. Similarities in background, experiences and values tend to have the strongest effect. • Third, look for positive qualities and highlight them in a genuine way. Don't fake it, and don't kiss up to them. Look for something that you genuinely like. How to Choose the Best InfluenceMethods for Your Situation (Long-Term) – Method #3

21. 4. Lead By Example • Method: Influencing others by using your own positive actions as an example. • Best applied: In situations where others can benefit by emulating your behavior. • How to apply this method: • First, show the strength of your convictions by doing yourself what you want others to do. • Second, tell them how you did it, and why it worked. You yourself become an additional source of credibility. How to Choose the Best InfluenceMethods for Your Situation (Long-Term) – Method #4

22. 5. Turn Objections into Actions • Method: Influencing others by turning objections into opportunities. • Best applied: In situations where you face resistance. • How to apply this method: • First and foremost, don’t take it personally. Instead, get motivated. • Second, the sooner you uncover their objections, the better. You will learn what actually can influence the person successfully, and then you can apply another method from the influence advantage checklist. • Third, turn objections into actions. • And lastly, treat objections as invitations. Invitations to learn what really matters most to the people you want to influence. How to Choose the Best InfluenceMethods for Your Situation (Long-Term) – Method #5

23. Go for more than results • Influence to inspire How to Make Your Influence Welcome and Wanted

24. 6Core competencies apply to all UMMS employees at every level and in every role: PROBLEM SOLVING/DECISION MAKING QUANTITY/QUALITY of WORK SERVICE ORIENTATION ACCOUNTABILITY INITIATIVE DIVERSITY & INCLUSION +1 Those entrusted with roles involving supervision and/or coordination of the work of others bear additional responsibilities for managing work and providing leadership. LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT List of UMMS Core Competency Skills

25. How Effective Communication and Influencing Skills Can Enhance your UMMS Core Competency Skills

26. Action-based gratitude and the power of thank you. • It has three parts: • First, thank the person for something specific that he or she did for you. • Second, acknowledge the thought and effort the person took to help you. • And third, tell the person how his or her action made a difference in your life and what actions you'll take going forward because of it. Conclusion