If you approach someone with the aim of influencing them to do something, your influencing style makes a major contribution to how effective your communication will be. If you use a style that is different from the person you are aiming to influence, they may become distracted by that difference. And, if that happens, your potential to influence plummets. Instead of listening to what you have to say, they will be wondering why on earth you behave like that.
Coaching people to make more effective use of influencing styles brings massive benefits. It can quite literally transform their key stakeholder relationships. It doesn’t need to take long to achieve this either. If you follow the process I outline below, it is likely that your clients will be able to adapt their behaviour as a result of a single coaching session.
- Make sure you are familiar with the core principles and dimensions. You can learn more about these by studying the guide, How to Develop Your Influencing Style. If you wish to complete a questionnaire for yourself, and see your report, let me know, and we can set it up.
- Set up an access code for your clients on your Gautrey Group account. Make sure and check the box to withhold the report.
- Send your client the access link in an email with a little explanation. Make sure and let them know that it will only take 5-10 minutes to complete and that you’ll give them the report when you meet. You can find this link by clicking on the “Use” link beside the access code that you have created. When your client completes the questionnaire, you will get an email letting you know and also giving you a link to use to get the report. Make sure you have enough credit before doing this. You can purchase more credits for the Influence Profile here.
- Prepare for your coaching session. Print off a copy of the report and also a couple of PDFs that I find are really useful when coaching: The Influence Profile Summary and The Dimensions.
- Begin your session by talking about the key principles.
- Then take them through each dimension asking them to consider the indicators and then estimate their score. Doing this before you share the report with them gives them a chance to really understand the dimensions before reacting to their actual scores. This makes a big difference.
- Give them their report, asking them to have a quick read and focus more on the words than the numbers. Two reasons why this is important. Firstly, the numbers are likely to vary from their estimates because the profile trades-off between the dimensions. When you asked them to estimate earlier they were considering each dimension in isolation. Secondly, the numbers in the report are relative to each other, not to other people (this is even more important in a group training scenario).
The remainder of the session will vary widely depending on your objectives, their background and the time you have available. Your prior experience of helping people to learn and adapt their behaviour will also play a role. If you need suggestions, follow the links in the How to Develop Your Influencing Style, especially the exercises. These contain questions that you could use with your client.
In the next article, I will share some of my experiences of coaching and training with Influencing Styles that will help to prepare you for a wide range of reactions which you could get from your clients. It will also take you deeper into the fascinating subject of influencing styles.
The Gautrey Influence Blog
Ever felt overlooked, unheard, or stuck in office politics? You’re not alone. The Gautrey Influence Blog breaks down the real-world strategies behind leadership, influence, and power—giving you the tools to be heard, respected, and successful. Join 35,000+ professionals getting ahead the smart way—subscribe now..
💡 Benchmark your Influence: Take the Master of Influence Assessment (Free for Subscribers!)
👉 [Subscribe & Take the Assessment]
