Nowadays, to be successful in a company or simply to advance your ideas, you must develop your ability to convince and influence your colleagues, your superiors and your entourage of the merits of your project. How can you encourage your colleagues to approve and support your ideas, for the good of the company? In the end, everyone will benefit! Frédéric Tobin, Technologia expert and trainer, offers some key points to remember.
Dorie Clark, author of the book "Entrepreneurial You", a bestseller in the United States, says that mastering the art of influencing offers a "clear advantage" because it will allow your projects to progress more quickly. What's more, the chances are high that you'll be put in charge of making it happen. And, often, you'll be put in charge of making your ideas happen. In other words, you'll get more exposure and have a much better chance of being noticed by your peers for your work. To that, however, author Nick Morgan mentions that people's ability to focus has significantly decreased with the advent of the digital wave. Being convincing therefore becomes more and more difficult as time goes by. Nevertheless, the need to influence is more critical than ever as the pressure to deliver results in business continues to grow, according to numerous American studies on the subject.
The importance of networking
Dorie Clark says it right off the bat: people want to follow you, first of all, because they like you. It is therefore necessary to focus on building an interpersonal network that will allow you to earn points, to be recognized throughout your circle and, thus, to be able to count on the support of valuable colleagues in the implementation of your ideas. Cultivate your relationships with your colleagues and allow them to get to know you. This will prevent them from doubting your motives or imputing bad intentions to you.
Listening, first and foremost
Persuading is good, but listening is better. Start by listening to your colleagues before proposing your ideas in order to understand exactly what motivates them to put forward an idea that may be different from yours. You may find that your well thought out proposal will strike a balance between your project and theirs. Your to-do list is overflowing and you are constantly ready to jump on your cell phone to answer an urgent email. That's the mistake! You can feel it in the people you're dealing with. Start by listening carefully to them to get your thoughts across and let them know that you are eager to propose an alternative solution between your idea and their project.
It's all in the manner: tone and language
Remember Daniel Bélanger's great success when he said "it's all in the manner, but there is the manner". We need to realize, according to author Clark, that people are constantly questioning whether they can trust us on a particular issue or on the progress of an issue. We are constantly doubting the intentions of others, she says. Thus, body language is key to getting the right message across. For example, standing up straight with your shoulders back gives you the image of being confident and authoritative. On the other hand, standing on a chair with your body slouched and arms crossed sends the complete opposite message: I am not interested in what the other person is saying. We suggest that you adopt a rather "normal" posture by keeping your arms uncrossed while keeping your body turned towards your interlocutor. It is advisable to keep your voice slightly lower than normal in order to counteract the effect that nervousness could produce. Simple things, but they have a considerable impact on the way your message will be perceived by your interlocutor.
Specialize in the project that interests you
A great way to advance your ideas and convince your colleagues with greater ease is to become an expert in the subject that interests you. This won't happen overnight, of course, but it can certainly earn you points as your expertise or know-how becomes unique or essential to the organization. Don't hesitate to attend conferences or trainings related to your idea and you can benefit the whole company. Never forget that if your proposal is only there to serve your personal interests, no one will want to defend it and this can seriously harm you.
In conclusion, authors Clark and Morgan made an interesting point in an interview in the Harvard Business Review. They mentioned the importance of frequently talking to your colleagues to understand what motivates them. The art of convincing and evolving your ideas within a company is increasingly necessary to evolve within your organization, but also in an era where technology is moving so fast and your interlocutor's attention span is decreasing. Of course, this development will allow you to climb the ladder of your organization and maybe even be offered a promotion or a higher position. However, keep in mind to serve the collective interests before your personal interests... otherwise, good intentions can become catastrophic. And you, what are the ideas you would like to propose at your next work meeting? On that note, we wish you an excellent reflection!
To go further :
Influence: advance your ideas and projects within the organization
