How to create influence even without authority
How to influence people or how to be an influential factor in any situation and make people listen to you and your opinion even without being their boss or the one who sets their salary? Many feel that the fact that they do not have authority reduces their ability to influence, the power they have. Indeed, it is easier, seemingly, to make people listen to you when you have authority over them. In certain roles and in a certain status, authority is the ultimate power. However, in quite a few cases we need the ability to influence and promote ideas without the simple tool of authority. How do we do that? What tools do we have at our disposal to create influence even without authority?
At any social event or social gathering, it is relatively easy to identify who the dominant, dominant, influential people are. Influential people stand out and easily attract attention. They can easily convince others to agree with them and receive respect from those around them. Influence is a type of power that can overpower a situation, and even more so in the workplace.
People with power in an organization receive more recognition and trust, and are generally more effective managers and leaders. Unfortunately, you don’t have to be in a formal, leadership, or managerial position of power to build influence over your managers and colleagues. Power and influence are sometimes confused. Do you necessarily need a position of power to be influential?
And if you’ve started a new job? How will you make an impact without stepping on anyone else’s toes?
What is workplace influence and why is it important?
In every organization, each staff department has a certain level of influence. People with status, a more considered role definition in the organizational hierarchy usually have greater influence. This is usually more pronounced in large, traditional organizations, and affects employee behavior. For example, if the manager stays up late, his employees will usually do the same and be very afraid to act differently. Conversely, if the manager encourages maintaining a work-life balance and not drifting into the wee hours of the night, the employees will also behave this way.
But more than that, the meaning of being influential in an organization means that more attention is paid to you, and therefore there is a greater chance of promoting you, raising your salary, people pay attention to you and therefore your name will be heard more in various situations as someone who has been a part of, influenced, which can lead to faster promotion.
Influential people find it easier to work within a team, there is a feeling of fit and flow for all parties, a greater sense of sharing and connectedness. And the environment created is one of greater enjoyment of work due to better relationships.
Strategies for increasing circles of influence
One of the main difficulties these days is working remotely. At any given moment, someone is working from home. In the new conditions that have been created, it is more difficult to establish influence. When you do not meet with colleagues, employees and managers face to face, it is more difficult to connect and create a sense of trust. Conversations take on a different tone when they are held on Zoom, by writing in “Slek” or by email. The human connection through the written word is different from the connection created as a result of an unmediated physical encounter. The emotional connection is much more difficult when it comes through a digital platform. The right tone, the intonation, which can often lead to misinterpretations. So how do you still create influence in the new conditions that have been created?
10 ways to create impact
- Create conversations – allocate time for one-on-one conversations and building relationships at various levels beyond work issues.
- Listen – First of all, listen, to understand what is important to the other person, how they think, what is important and meaningful to them. And only then give answers and directions. Listening to the other person builds rapport for several reasons. Among other things, when we listen, we may change our minds, we may learn or understand something we didn’t know before, and beyond that, it gives the other person the feeling that you are listening! It creates greater trust.
- Pay attention to your body language. Is listening evident in your body? Is your gaze focused on the other person? Are your eyes moving to your phone or another screen?
- Ask questions and show interest and curiosity – One way to be significant is to stimulate thought and curiosity and allow people to see beyond, to step out of their own mental comfort zone. People who challenge with questions (not belittle, truly challenge) create interest in coming to think and consult with them.
- Be consistent – be that person you can rely on, trust, and rely on in times of crisis. Consistency is an important part of credibility and trusting relationships. If there is a big change in your behavior from time to time, you get the feeling that there is instability and no one to trust. It is important to keep your word.
- Assertiveness – It is important to present options and make sure your opinion is heard. To do this, it is important to acknowledge your opinion and articulate it correctly. Don’t be afraid to express a position and make your voice heard, and do it in a smart, progressive, and attentive way.
- Authenticity – No less important in creating influence and trust are the places where a person is authentic, transparent and as open as possible about who they are and what they think and do. People tend to value honest and authentic vulnerability and attribute it to power and a desire for closeness. Authenticity is an excellent foundation for good relationships.
- Flexibility – Part of the ability to listen and the fact that you have an opinion and it is important to make your voice heard is also the willingness to compromise. Out of recognition of the value of the other person’s opinion and the importance of their existence. The ability to compromise and not get stuck or insist on things only your way, in your own words, can move the system forward in a different way in order to reach the desired result. Another message that comes with flexibility is the understanding that the interests of the company and the goals of the company are more important to you than your ego.
- Do and act – actions are stronger than words. There is no point in preaching about saying and doing otherwise. People judge people by their actions.
- Help others – Part of the ability to influence also lies in the willingness and desire to help others, to do a favor, to assist. Find opportunities that will allow you to be generous, to provide an opinion, thought, knowledge or action, or alternatively encourage giving a kind word and showing that “I see you”. Helping others in any way will always be remembered and will be meaningful and influential.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Don’t take things too personally and don’t be afraid of criticism. Just as it’s important to be authentic and voice your opinion, it’s also important to allow others to express themselves and their opinions and be authentic. This situation, of course, often leads to opposing and critical statements. The goal is to create a discourse of constructive and beneficial criticism, and to avoid situations of defensiveness or exchange of criticism. Openness and listening must come from you and set an example.
The high workload often makes it difficult to be available and patient for elements that are not concrete work. But that’s exactly how relationships and trust are built. It’s important to create availability and give the feeling that you do have time. The more you feel that you care and are therefore available to listen, or make time to listen, the greater your impact will be. Of course, it’s also important to set the right limit and not turn availability into a situation of being constantly available for every story and every interruption.
On a personal level, it’s important to minimize distractions and noise and really be attentive when deciding to allocate time to listen to a person, and not to have conversations on the go with a million bounces, texts, WhatsApps, and phone calls in the meantime. Although we’re all sure we’re multitasking, we’re not really, not really, not at that level. Make time for meaningful conversations and be fully present in the meeting.
Start making an impact now!
There are many ways to influence and in different directions, the big question is what you can bring to your daily life, meaningful, interesting and real. Courage to connect and speak to bring new ideas, courage to connect to dare and try to create connections and partnerships. The more you recognize your own abilities, strength and value, the more likely you are to try to express and create meaningful connections and influence in the workplace.
We can’t wait for the day when we become big enough to have an impact. We need to start creating this ability from the beginning, practice it, and perfect it over the years in order to see significant results.
Career coaching, executive coaching that deals with your presence in the workplace, recognizing your abilities, strengths, and ways to influence can speed up the process and move you forward right now.
