Step up the Influence Ladder

Step up the Influence Ladder

Most of us would agree that being high on the influence scale is critical to achieving your personal and professional goals. Whether it is influencing change or decisions being made that impact others, stepping up the influence ladder is key to success.

When I think about influence, words that come to mind are persuasive, confident, knowledgeable, visionary, strategic, experienced, and perhaps political. People can gain influence through connections, level of authority, education, achievements, or experience.

Influence is like sales. Raising your level of influence revolves around your ability to communicate your ideas and opinions, building relationships, creating an informal network to help support and sell your ideas, presenting facts and linking data to a compelling ROI. It also means leading the way, taking risks on new ideas, and collaborating with other team members to effect change.

As a coaching professional, I have been asked many times how to build the competency of influence. It starts with speaking up, being prepared, not being afraid to bring up controversial topics, understanding that decisions are made before you get to the meeting, and actively working your network. Mentors are extremely valuable to help vet ideas and talk about how to share and present your thoughts and ideas to others. It is ultimately important to know your audience and understand any objections ahead of time.

Influence is a critical skill, especially for leaders and individuals who want to advance their career. As you practice this skill, remember to be assertive and balance the tendency to be aggressive when you are passionate about a topic. It starts with introducing an idea, letting others think about it, and then revisiting and expanding the concept into a full-fledged initiative.

Take that first step today. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone or area of expertise. See it as a learning experience and building a skill. Confidence comes with practice and learning how to navigate the organization and gain influence.