How to improve your influencing skills for better leadership
In the modern workplace, influencing skills are an essential cornerstone of successful leadership and collaboration. But why is influence at work needed? My blog post this week takes a closer look into the essence of influence, uncovering its role in creating successful outcomes, driving innovation, and allowing a culture for collaboration.
The Foundation of Effective Leadership
Influence goes beyond traditional leadership by offering a more subtle approach. It's about inspiring and motivating others, not through power play, or using position, but through genuine persuasion and empathy.
An Influential leader can articulate their vision, include their team in decision making and bring them together to work toward shared goals. They understand that true leaders empower others and influence at work.
Influencing Innovation and Change
Where change is the only constant, the ability to influence is coupled with the ability to innovate. Influence at work allows individuals at any level, to put forward new ideas, challenge the status quo and steer the minefield that’s organisational change. It's the force that creates action, allows the adoption of the solutions and strategies, keeping businesses competitive and relevant.
Enhancing Collaboration and Team Dynamics
Most modern workplaces try to be collaborative, often requiring individuals to work together and often across diverse teams and projects. Influence at work is the glue that can hold these efforts together, enabling people to communicate, resolve conflicts, and build strong, productive relationships. By making the most of influence, teams can create an environment where everyone feels valued and heard, which naturally leads to more engagement,  more satisfaction and  increased performance.
Trust and Respect Culture
 Influence at work can only be built with trust and respect at the centre and in reality can only be gained by those who show integrity, competence, and consistency, in their actions and decisions. This trust, in turn, creates a safe place , full of respect and openness, where ideas can be shared freely, and a wide range of views valued. In this type of environment, influence becomes a powerful ally for creating a joined-up approach towards common goals.
The Path to Professional Success
Understanding and practicing the skills necessary and to be able to use these skills to influence at work, Â is essential for anyone wanting to advance their career. It increases your ability to lead, collaborate, and have a meaningful impact, regardless of your position. Â If people can develop their influence at work, it will open the door to new opportunities, help build strong relationships, and achieve greater personal success.
The importance of influence cannot be overstated. It's an essential skill and if mastered properly , is very impactful1 It will inspire change, and create a positive, productive workplace where everyone can flourish