Leading with Influence

AFFILIATIVE STYLEPrimary objective: creating Questions to ask:harmony• Is most concerned with • What are the predominant employee/employee and promoting friendly interactions employee/leader interactions?• Places more emphasis on • What is the nature of addressing employees’ personal performance feedback? needs than on goals and standards • How are goals and standards• Pays attention to and cares for represented in this organisation? “the whole person”; stresses things that keep people “happy”• Avoids performance-related confrontations• Rewards personal characteristics more than job performance 56

Most effective: AFFILIATIVE STYLE (CONTINUED)• When used as part of a Least effective: repertoire • When employees’ performance• When giving personal help is inadequate • In crises or complex situations• In getting diverse, conflicting groups to work together needing clear direction and harmoniously control • With employees who are task- oriented or uninterested in friendship with their leader 57

PARTICIPATIVE STYLEPrimary objective: building Questions to ask:commitment and generating new ideas • How are decisions made in this• Trusts that employees can develop organisation? the appropriate direction for themselves and the organisation • How is poor or less-than- satisfactory performance dealt• Invites employees to participate in with? the development of decisions • Who provides the direction in• Holds many meetings and listens to this organisation? employees’ concerns • What is the level of competence• Rewards adequate performance; of the employees in this rarely gives negative feedback organisation? 58

PARTICIPATIVE STYLE (CONTINUED)Most effective: Least effective:• When employees are competent • In crises• When employees must be • When employees are not coordinated vs. managed competent, lack crucial information, need close• When a leader is unclear about supervision the best approach 59

PACESETTING STYLEPrimary objective: accomplishing Questions to ask:tasks to high standards ofexcellence • What happens when work is not performed to expectations in• Leads by example this organisation?• Has high standards • Does the leader feel comfortable delegating his work to others?• Is apprehensive about delegating • What is the pace of work in this• Takes responsibility away if high organisation? performance is not forthcoming • What is the level of competence• Has little sympathy for poor of the employees in this performance organisation?• Rescues the situation• Sees collaboration with others only as it impacts the task 60

PACESETTING style (continued)Most effective: Least effective:• When employees are highly • When the leader cannot do all motivated, competent, know his/her work personally their jobs • When employees need• When managing individual direction, development, and contributors coordination• In making the organisation move fast• For developing employees who are similar to the leader 61

COACHING STYLEPrimary objective: supporting the Questions to ask:long-term professional developmentof others • Do employees have development and/or career plans?• Helps employees identify their strengths/weaknesses • Are employees supported in achieving their professional• Encourages employees to development goals? establish long-range development goals • Are employees interested in their own personal development?• Reaches agreement with employees on mutual roles in development process• Provides ongoing instruction as well as feedback• May trade off immediate standards of performance for long-term development 62

COACHING STYLE (CONTINUED)Most effective: Least effective:• When employees acknowledge a • When the leader lacks expertise discrepancy in performance • When employees require• With employees who are considerable direction and motivated to seek professional feedback development • In crises 63

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Introduction to Influencing Strategies 65

HOW DID WE INFLUENCE IN THE PAST? Power and authority vested in the position, not the individual Rank usually ensured compliance Directives and commands were the most effective and efficient means of leadership Getting ahead meant paying your dues and listening to your boss I can’t influence it if it doesn’t report to me 66

AND TODAY? Complex , flatter, matrix organizations Limited authority vested in hierarchy Multiple external stakeholders in a competitive environment We manage not by the power of our position but by the power of ideas and our persuasion…. 67

SO WHAT IS INFLUENCING?Influencing = getting the “other” to do something that gives positive results – for usand/or for others and/or the larger business contextInfluencing ≠ PowerInfluencing  Being constructiveInfluencing > Persuasion 68

ROLE OF A LEADER TO DRIVE PERFORMANCEThe most successful leaders continuously drive two processes in delivering joint work1 Working with critical stakeholder 2 Maximizing the conditions that drive groups superior resultsThey create an effective influence network that In working their network, they find or produceharnesses the strengths of the same while the circumstances that capture and focus theminimizing its problems energy of the people and groups necessary to the success of their team’s work 69

WHAT IS INFLUENCING?Getting the “other” to do something that gives positive results– for us and/or for others and/or the larger business context. 70

HOW CAN WE SELECT THE MOST APPROPRIATE INFLUENCING STRATEGY?Four sets of factors to be considered in selecting the most appropriate influencing strategyChoice of ‘Other’ Characteristics of the ‘other’influencing ƒ Relationship with thestrategy ‘other’ ‘Situation’ Influencing context/ reason for influencing Broader organizational context 71

NINE INFLUENCING STRATEGIES Focused on Organisational Relationship Common Visionbuilding support Awareness Building Interpersonal Focused on the Empowerment Awareness ‘other’ Bargaining Coercion Focused on the outcomes Logical Impact Persuasion Management Focused on ‘what you sayand how you say’ 72

ORGANISATIONAL AWARENESSDefinition:Identifying the key people in your organisation, and getting their support. Knowing who the keyinfluencers are.Most Effective:• When there are key people in the organisation who can influence a decision favourably or unfavourably.• With colleagues at your level and above.• When it is necessary to influence a number of people from different parts of a large organisation.• When the organisation’s formal structure does not reflect the real patterns of influence within the organisation.• In highly politicised organisations.Least Effective:• When the person you want to influence is not acting as a member of the organisation.• When the person you want to influence does not have to consider the reactions of others within the organisation.• When the decision will actually be based on objective criteria such as cost. 73

COMMON VISIONDefinition:Showing how your ideas support the organisation’s broader goals.Most Effective:• When managing a team with colleagues at your level and below.• When you have high personal credibility − people want to work with you.• When your position gives you the authority to seek support in this way.Least Effective:• When the organisation’s goals and values are about to change in unpredictable ways.• With people above you in the organisation.• When you lack credibility in the eyes of the people you are trying to influence.• When the people you are trying to influence are cynical about the organisation. 74

RELATIONSHIP BUILDINGDefinition:Taking the time to get to know others personally; to maintain friendly communications so that they willbe inclined to support your ideas in the future.Most Effective:• When getting support depends upon positive relationships to establish people’s long-term support: • With seniors and peers • With clients and potential clients • With people you see on a regular basis, over time• When you could benefit from the support of people outside your regular work group.Least Effective:• If insincere.• In crisis situations.• When you need support immediately and there is no time to develop a relationship.• With people at a lower level than you.• When the support of others is likely to be based on objective criteria and logical arguments. 75

EMPOWERMENTDefinition:Making others feel valued by involving them in decision-making, and giving themrecognition.Most Effective:• When the people you want to influence have a high level of knowledge and expertise.• When the culture of your organisation supports participation.• When it is important to maintain positive relationships with colleagues at your level and below.Least Effective:• If those who are empowered don’t have the capability − or will − to achieve the desired goal.• When the organisation does not support participation in crisis situations or when decisions must be made quickly.• When power is given to others without support or follow-up. 76

INTERPERSONAL AWARENESSDefinition:Identifying other people’s concerns and positioning one’s ideas to address theseconcerns.Most Effective:• In most one-to-one influence situations.• With people above your level.• When you don’t know the other person very well already.• When it is important to develop trust and rapport with the other person.• When there is an underlying tension with the other person that you need to understand and resolve.Least Effective:• In crisis situations or when decisions must be made quickly.• When the other person’s decision will be based on objective criteria such as price.• If your concern for the other person prevents you from completing the task that needs to be done.• When the attempt to understand the other person is seen as insincere or manipulative. 77

BARGAININGDefinition:Gaining support by negotiating a mutually satisfactory outcome, exchangingfavours, sharing resources, making concessions.Most Effective:• In a political environment.• When asking someone to do something they would not otherwise do.• When there is an adversarial quality to the relationship.• When you are in a position to do things for the other person.• When you want to meet the needs of all parties involved.Least Effective:• With people you work with on a daily basis.• When either party feels it has got the bad end of the deal.• For the person who is a less sophisticated negotiator.• With people at a higher level than you.• When there is a lack of trust that the deal you have agreed will actually be delivered. 78

COERCIONDefinition:Using threats, reprimands or pressure to get others to do what you want.Most Effective:• When there is an emergency or crisis.• To get short-term compliance from a team member who has performance problems.• With colleagues below your level who are much less knowledgeable and just need to be told.• When threats and pressure are expected methods of control within the organisation.• When other influence strategies have been tried and have failed.Least Effective:• When long-term support is needed.• When others need to understand or agree with the reasons for your actions or decisions.• When used with colleagues at your level or above.• When used with others who have high levels of knowledge and expertise.• When threats and pressure are not accepted ways of getting things done in the organisation.• When it is important to maintain a positive relationship with the other person. 79

IMPACT MANAGEMENTDefinition:Choosing the most interesting, memorable or dramatic way to present ideas, in order to gain people’ssupport.Most Effective:• When it is important to make a very strong first impression.• When dealing with people you don’t know very well.• When creating or delivering presentations.• When dealing with groups.Least Effective:• When the decision to support an idea will be based on rigorous, quantitative or logical criteria.• When trying to influence people you know very well.• When it is important to identify the other person’s specific concerns. 80

LOGICAL PERSUASIONDefinition:Using logical reasons, expertise or data to convince and persuade others.Most Effective:• With people who rely on logic and reason, for example engineers and scientists.• When the person you are trying to influence is systematically comparing several products, ideas or alternatives.Least Effective:• When the people whose support you seek are strongly influenced by personal relationships, rather than logic.• When personal goals, hopes or concerns affect people’s reasoning.• When the other person is concerned with how ideas are presented − not just their content.• When the decision is affected by political factors within the organisation. 81

SELECTING THE RIGHT INFLUENCING STRATEGY• Common Vision Higher Risk• Empowerment Less Control• Impact Management Highest impact• Organizational Awareness Planning required• Interpersonal Awareness• Relationship Building Lower Risk• Bargaining Less impact• Coercion Direct and logical• Logical Persuasion 82

LEARNING POINTS• Low risk strategies are necessary but not always sufficient.• Often successful influence requires multiple influence strategies and/or more high-risk ones.• Strategies that encourage dialogue and participation may be more effective and those that close down communication may be less effective (e.g., coercion)• Behavior is a function of some characteristic of the person in interaction with the situation• Behavior = f (Person; Situation) 83

HOW TO READ THE REPORT 84

HOW TO READ THE REPORT 85

HOW TO READ THE REPORT 86

REFLECTION Which strategies do you see yourself using most often? Which strategies do you see yourself using least often? What else occurs to you as you look at your own profile? 87

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STAKEHOLDER MAPPINGWhat is stakeholder mapping? – Stakeholder mapping is a powerful tool to help you influence your matrix environment and get things done for you and your team – Helps you objectively think about the different people in your matrix context or network – Helps you allocate scarce resources – Defines the best influencing strategy to use in each situation – Organizational awareness 89

Stakeholder mapping activity 90

GROUPS OF STAKEHOLDERS• To maximize work conditions, there are three crucial groups that continuous ‘management’ by leaders, so they:Manage up Manage across Manage inWorking with senior Working with the leaders of Managing the conditions toleaders to produce clarity other efforts in the matrix to produce the climateand alignment for the produce integrated experienced by matrix teamjoint-work in question solutions. Generally will be members and other your peers contributors to the joint- work. This is about your team 91

WHO ARE MY STAKEHOLDERS?Identifying all relevant stakeholders in your own network UP ACROSS INThink mainly in terms of individuals Think mainly in terms of individuals or Think of the people in your joint work and list their names. teams (mostly would be peers) team. 92

PLOT YOUR STAKEHOLDERSCritical 10 9Not at all How important am I to them 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Not at all How important are they to me Critical 93

PLOT YOUR STAKEHOLDERSCritical 10 Shared agendaNot at all How important am I to them 9 Keep informed Improve your influence 8 7 6 7 8 9 10 6 5 4 Don’t focus here 3 2 12345 Not at all How important are they to me Critical 94

PROMPTS FOR THINKING– What business or emotional interest do they have?– What motivates them most of all?– What information do they want from you? How do they want it?– What is the best way of communicating your message to them? What is their current opinion of your work?– Who influences their opinions generally, and who influences their opinion of you?– Do some of these influencers therefore become important stakeholders in their own right?– If they are not likely to be positive, what will win them around to support your project?– If you do not think you will be able to win them around, how will you manage their opposition?– Who else might be influenced by their opinions? Do these people become stakeholders in their own right?– How do I/the team build social capital via relationships – how do I get some credit in the bank? 95

WORKING ON YOUR INFLUENCE How confident are you have put them in the correct current place? (Stakeholders are not in the right spot, this will make it more difficult for you to deliver and it will be necessary to move them so that you can create conditions for success) Which ones do you need to move or influence in order to deliver your agenda? Take any one of the stakeholders you want to influence and jot down some key observations about this person, your relationship with them, and the ‘reality’. 96

WORKING ON YOUR INFLUENCE Which influencing strategy will you use to move them and why? How are you going to communicate with them? What do you need to be careful about? 97

YOUR INFLUENCE PLANStakeholder98 Current position Desired Key message Degree of difficulty Their influences / network Who or what can help Influencing Strategy when One-off or on going

WORKING ON YOUR INFLUENCEEmpowerment Making others feel valued by involving them in decision making and giving them recognitionInterpersonalawareness Identifying and addressing other people’s concernsBargaining Gaining support by negotiating a mutually satisfactory outcome Establishing and maintaining constructive relationships with people thatRelationship you may need to influencebuilding Identifying and getting support from key peopleOrganisationalawareness Showing how ideas support the organisation’s broader goals Choosing the most interesting, memorable or dramatic way to presentCommon vision themImpact Using logical reasons, expertise or data to convince and persuade othersmanagement Using threats or pressure to get others to do what you wantLogicalpersuasionCoercive 99

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Organisational climate 101

ORGANISATIONAL CLIMATE• People’s perception of “what it’s like to work here”• Aspects of the environment that directly impact employees’ ability to do their jobs well• Determines how well leaders optimise their human resources and tap their “discretionary effort” 102

SIX DIMENSIONS OF ORGANISATIONAL CLIMATEFlexibility Responsibility Standards Rewards Clarity Team commitment 103

FLEXIBILITYDefinition: Questions to ask:• Lack of constraints in the • Do employees have to fight workplace against unreasonable• No unnecessary rules, policies, constraints? • Is it easy to innovate/get new procedures, or practices ideas accepted?• New ideas are accepted freely • Are there many cumbersome rules and procedures? 104

RESPONSIBILITYDefinition: Questions to ask:• Employees have a lot of • Are important tasks delegated authority delegated to them to employees?• Employees have freedom to • Are employees encouraged to make decisions about doing take initiative? their own job • Are individuals encouraged to• Employees are held fully accountable for the outcome of take risks based on their own their work judgment? • Are employees allowed the opportunity to experience the success or failure of their own efforts? 105