A few quick questions for you:
- Do you want your stakeholders to agree with you?
- Would you like to be able to save time influencing stakeholders?
- How would it help you if most of the decisions were made in your favour?
Perhaps you need to upgrade your preparation for success.
For starters, you don’t want to be wasting your stakeholders time, or your own, until you can answer these five mission critical questions.
What makes your stakeholder powerful?
Why do you need to know this?
Because the quickest way to influence a stakeholder is when agreeing with your proposal or request aligns to their sense of power and influence. Conversely, the quickest way to get yourself fired is to suggest something that threatens their power.
They are also more likely to be impressed by others who have similar sources of power. And what we know about power is that you can easily reposition their perception of your power if you know what you are doing.
What is their (total) agenda?
You must know where they are coming from, what they are trying to do. And, not just related to your pitch.
Remember, you are asking them to make a decision, and in their minds (or more likely their hearts) they will weigh it against other decisions they have to make.
Extra points awarded if you know what their personal agenda is – because this is where the real decisions get made by individuals.
How will they win and lose if they say “YES” to your request?
Now, this will be easy to answer if you can answer the first two questions.
Your answer to this question must be as objective as you can possible manage. It should also be succinct – no waffle please.
Why?
Because if you cannot answer this immediately, and in less than 30 seconds, you will not have this critical insight driving your own decisions about how you pitch your proposal to the stakeholder.
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.
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How will they win and lose if they say “NO” to your request?
Same as above, succinct and fast.
In case you think your idea is a no-brainer for anyone with even half a brain, think again. However good your idea is, there will always be some loss, even if it is just the disruption of changing their habits, or exciting jealousy with one of their political rivals.
Beware also, that while may dismiss certain losses as trivial, your stakeholder may see it differently.
Think hard. Do your research.
Finally:
How do you plan to influence them?
Based on all you know, how will you play it?
Need to get some detail here, especially if the decision consequences are important to you.
Whatever you do, don’t just wing it, or fly by the seat of your pants– that’s a trait of amateurs.
Hold on, I’ve just realised that I assumed that you can already answer the most important question of all, what exactly do you want them to say yes to?
You can answer that one can’t you?
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]