How to influence as a leader

Recently I attended a fascinating seminar on the importance or knowing how to influence people’s behaviour to achieve change for the better.

As business leaders and entrepreneurs, this is a huge part of our role – influencing those around us.

The presentation showed some very interesting case studies about how behaviours could be influenced to achieve amazing results.

Some of the examples given were of a doctor who decided that the number of deaths in the US in hospitals due to infection was unacceptable. Another example was of a woman who runs a business called Delancey Street Foundation. She only employs criminals and drug addicts! These people are achieving incredible outcomes and the solution is really not all that complicated.

The differences between their success and the failure of others to change cultures and attitudes is due to the fact that their change strategy was based on a suite of influencers. Others who have failed to change attitudes have not used the full suite of influencers.

So what are those influencers and how can you learn more about how to apply them to the best of your advantage?

• Personal motivation: make the undesirable desirable.
• Practice, practice, practice.
• Social influence: harness peer pressure.
• Structural: design rewards and demand accountability.
• Change the environment.

Most leaders use some of the above to change behaviours but do not use the full suite.

The leaders who had been studied used all of the above. Of course a lot of thought needs to be put into designing the motivators, harnessing peer pressure and making the structural changes.

This is truly fascinating information and I have only touched the surface. If you are interested in how to become an influencer or a more effective influencer click here.

Marcia Griffin’s latest book, High Heeled Success (pictured left), is a frank account of building a business from a solitary sales person to a multi-million dollar business with 4,700 sales consultants around Australia and New Zealand. Contact Marcia to purchase. Marcia’s latest venture is skin care company griffin+row, an amazing range of naturally effective skincare that Target immediately ranged in 154 stores.