Influencing Requires a Relationship

Most of the time, people pursue a new idea because they can see how it will help them. Recognizing and internalizing this simple truth will help you expand your influence skills.

Don’t just tell people why you think your idea is a good one. See the world from their point of view. To do this, you have to know something about them, and the role they play in the organization.

Ideally, you would build a relationship with someone before you needed to influence them. If you don’t have a relationship (yet), consider what you do know about them, and extrapolate what their concerns might be.

Don’t just tell people why you think your idea is a good one. See the world from their point of view.

Framing your idea in terms of what matters to them makes it more likely they’ll show interest. For example, the person you want to influence cares only about cost, don’t talk about quality, speed, reuse, or elegance. Those factors, while important to you aren’t likely to convince them to try your idea.

It is not always easy to see your idea from another vantage point. It can be a challenge to quantify it in ways that matter to other people. But it is always a good idea connect your idea with what’s important to the people you are hoping to influence. If nothing else, it will help you refine your idea.