Building influence to get things done at work
- June 16, 2022
- Posted by:
- Category: Blog
Getting things done in complex organization structures may not be as easy as it seems. As businesses grow larger, systems and hierarchies creep into place, making influence-building a vital asset to get things done. Here are a few best practices that will help you navigate through the process and influence outcomes.
1. Map the decision process
To get to your destination, ensure that you are aware of the milestones on the way. Who are the people involved in the decision-making process (the sponsor, the approver or the evaluators). For example – getting an approval for a full-time position as a resource will involve HR, Finance and the Business Head. But getting an additional water cooler will involve Admin, Finance and Facilities in the decision-making process.
2. Know what they want
Influence is all about knowing what people want. Find out the motive of each person involved in the decision-making process. For instance, the A Senior Manager might want visibility with the Business Head but cost control might be of key concern to the Finance personnel.
3. One step at a time
Influence exerts itself one bit at a time. Work with each individual in the decision flow to influence the outcome. As a best practice, Present your idea to each of the decision-making group members individually and get their view before the big meeting.
4. Tell them what they will get
Don’t tell them what you will get. Instead, focus on telling them what will they get. When their motives are achieved, they will work harder to get approval for it. When this happens, you will have achieved your objective and your influence will grow within the organization. For example, instead of saying you want your team to work from home two days a week, tell the finance head how it will help cut office operational costs.
There’s more to building your sphere of influence at your workplace. To know more, connect with our expert team at [email protected]