We’ve all been in situations where we need to convince a supervisor to go with one of our ideas. I’ve blogged before about the importance of person-centered messages and solution-oriented conversations as ways of successfully influencing your boss. All Things Workplace had a great post on ideas for influencing your boss that included audience analysis, knowing who you’re talking to (both in terms of their possible concerns and in terms of timing). The other thing that I really appreciated about that post was that it emphasized that influence is not just about a one-time event. I think that’s something that a lot of us forget. Influence doesn’t begin the moment you want something from someone else. Your reputation, your willingness to be a team player, your previous interactions with others—all of those things make a difference, before you ever open your mouth to persuade your boss to agree with you. If you find yourself in a workplace where people are constantly saying “no” when you want them to say “yes,” take stock of how you act when you aren’t trying to influence others.
Filed under: Dissent, Person-Centered Messages | Tagged: Audience Analysis, business communication, Influencing Others at Work, Influencing Your Boss, Person-Centered Messages, Upward Influence
