“Our minds influence the key activity of the brain, which then influences everything: perception, cognition, thoughts and feelings, personal relationships; they’re all a projection of you.” – Deepak Chopra
To influence is both an art and a science. Get it right and you can create a perfect symphony of progress. Get it wrong, and you can become stuck in isolation.
If your influencing skills aren’t getting the results you want, consider the following:
Are you communicating on a human level, or a transactional one?
“100% of customers are people. 100% of employees are people. If you don’t understand people, you don’t understand business.” – Simon Sinek
One thing about humans is that they don’t like being kept in the dark. So think about where you can keep the light on, and provide vital communication flow.
Put yourself in their shoes
Experience their reality through their filters, not yours. And remember, everyone’s reality is a perception of reality. If you’re misunderstanding or judging their reality, you’re unlikely to influence them.
Be persistent and patient
It takes time to turn people around or have them change how they do things. People are naturally very invested and reassured by their beliefs that historically form a big part of their makeup as an individual. To challenge these beliefs can create initial dissonance.
Engage their hearts as well as their minds through the use of stories that they can connect to
A carefully chosen story has the power to inspire action, reframe beliefs or drive a message home, far more than facts and figures tend to do.
Every moment could be an inflection point
Be mindful that any moment could be a critical moment where you may positively influence someone’s choice or decision. Remembering this can create clearer and more conscious intent behind your communication. Drew Dudley talks about everyday leadership in this inspiring TED video – well worth a watch.