How to be influential?

Learn these 6 principles!

A great leader is a person that motivates a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal.  The ability to effectively influence others is a critical skill for leaders.

Notice that there is a difference between giving orders and inspiring and persuading.

Managers get things done.  If to do that they need to issue commands, that’s is what they will do.  In contrast, leaders have followers.  Leaders show the path, share an inspiring vision or goal and their teams feel motivated to follow him or her.

Under the direction of an influential leader people will go above and beyond what is expected of them.  They feel committed to the common goal defined by their leader.

If influence is such a critical skill for a leader, how do we develop influence?

One of the best studies on this topic was written many years ago by social psychology Robert Cialdini in his book “Influence — The Psychology of Persuasion”.  Cialdini published this book in 1984 and to this day, it remains one of the most cited references on the topic.

I found it very interesting that the book is the result of what Cialdini learned during three years that he spent doing what he calls ‘undercover’ work.  He looked for roles that required influence to be successful, and trained for them.  He learned the strategies of used-car salesmen, telemarketing operators and fundraisers.  Cialdini says that these experiences helped him recognize how persuasion works in real life situations, and what differentiates influential people from the rest.

The book explains the psychology of why people say “yes” and describes the six universal principles that Cialdini observed, and how to use them to become a skilled persuader.  These principles can also be used to defend yourself against being persuaded without even noticing it.

These are the 6 principles of influence, as postulated by Cialdini:

1. Reciprocation

2. Commitment & Consistency

3. Social Proof

4. Authority

5. Liking

6. Scarcity

 

1. RECIPROCATION: We try to repay, in kind, what another person has provided us.

• If someone buys you lunch, you feel obligated to buy them lunch next time.
• Free samples encourage you to buy something you wouldn’t have otherwise.

2. COMMITMENT & CONSISTENCY: Desire to be (and to appear) consistent with what we have already done.

• Maintaining your religious affiliation.
• Staying married because you’ve made a public commitment “til death do us part”.

3. SOCIAL PROOF; Same as peer pressure: Everyone else is doing it, so I’ll do it too.

• You’re at a bar and your 4 friends order margaritas, so you do the same.
• You see everyone else staring up at the sky, so you look up too (works every time).

4. LIKING: We prefer to say yes to the requests of people we know and like.

• Eat at the same restaurants over and over and over again instead of trying a new place.
• Isaac Asimov explained this principle very well: “All things being equal, you root for your own sex, your own culture, your own locality…and what you want to prove is that YOU are better than the other person. Whomever you root for represents YOU; and when he wins, YOU win.”

5. AUTHORITY: People tend to follow authority figures. Obedience to authority is right and disobedience is wrong.

• Policemen, firemen, clergy, office managers, celebrity endorsements, etc.
• Titles (PhD, Esq, MBA, etc.)

6. SCARCITY: Opportunities seem more valuable when their availability is limited. It works so well because rather than weighing all the pros and cons, we use scarcity as a mental shortcut to make decisions.

• Limited time offers.
• You have to buy NOW or the price will go up very soon
  

 

When I first read the book I found these principles to be useful for marketing, but it wasn’t evident to me how to use them to be more influential with my team and have greater impact as a leader.  With time and practice, I found how to apply them in my own role.

I will share with you some suggestions, based on my personal experience, on how to use them to be a more influential leader:

1. Reciprocation: Take the time to listen to your team members, show genuine interest and help them develop their careers.  In turn, they will be very prone to reciprocate by meeting and exceeding the targets that you have defined.
2. Commitment and Consistency: Define the values for the team and model them with your own behavior.  This makes people feel included, part of a team, and they commit to behaving in a way consistent with those values.
3. Social Proof: Define high standards for your team and share your expectations on performance.   This generates positive peer-pressure to perform at or above the average.
4. Authority: Show your team that you are knowledgeable on the important areas of your business.  Your team will respect what you say and follow your direction.
5. Liking: Be approachable.  Don’t situate yourself on a pedestal.  Ask for help when you need it.  Your team will see that you are like them, only more knowledgable and more advanced in your career.
6. Scarcity: Define ambitious deadlines and stretch targets.  The sense of having limited time to deliver a great performance is highly motivating.

This is my take on how to apply Cialdini’s principles as a leader.  Would you share with me if they also work for you?