The Power of Influence

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"Leadership is influence." - John C. Maxwell

Influence is the ability to get people to say "yes"

Manager, marketer, sales person, trainer, coach or parent, your effectiveness is directly correlated to your ability to influence. It is a truism that we are paid not so much for what we do but what we influence others to do.
Influence is when you effectively alter someone else’s perceptions, views, beliefs, attitudes, decisions thus altering their actions. The expert influencer understands people, how they think, what makes them tick and how to get on the same wavelength.
Successful leaders, entrepreneurs and agents of change, know and appreciate the power to influence; they do not leave things to chance and hope they make a good impression they plan and practice their strategy to ensure success.
Would you like to increase your success in life and business?
Do you want to…?

• Lead more effectively
• Sell more naturally
• Teach or train more easily
• Communicate more persuasively
• Turn a "No" into a "Yes"

Then you will want to improve your power to influence. This program will equip you with the theory and practice of influence. You will learn the psychology of influence and secrets from Nero-Linguistics, Hypnosis and the Masters of Influence and Persuasion.
So whether you want to lead a company or just ask your boss for a raise this training will equip you with the skills to develop your power to influence.

Benefits of The Power of Influence:

• Be able to read and connect with people
• Feel comfortable influencing with integrity
• Have a flexible but planned approach to getting what you want
• Be able to handle difficult people and difficult situations
• Know the right thing to say to overcome objections
• Consistently create a win/win environment that promotes profit and productivity

Influence topics covered and practiced include:

• Five styles of influence
• How meaning is created and how to change it
• How understand non-verbal and para-language
• How to elicit unconscious needs and values
• How to influence through intentionality
• How to frame the negotiation optimally
• How to change other people’s behaviour
• How to create win/win outcomes

Persuasive Presentation Skills

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"Our work is the presentation of our capabilities."- Edward Gibbon

Presentation Skills and Personal Brand

The single most important skill you have to have in business is to be able to present yourself and your ideas in a professional and persuasive way.
A lack of effective presentation skills (public speaking) will seriously affect your personal brand and business brand (watch a short video). Whether the presenter is new to the company or is the CEO, they will be judged by their ability to present themselves and their ideas in ways that engages and persuades the audience.

Everyone can learn to present persuasively

The good news is that the ability to overcome presentation anxiety and be an effective public speaker who can give persuasive presentations is within everyone’s grasp.
Self Leadership International offers 1-1 coaching and customized training for Persuasive Presentation skills. We have coached and trained the most boring of CEO’s and the most timid of junior staff to speak and present with confidence and impact.
Our programs reap immediate reward because most people are unaware of the power and opportunity they’re given every time they speak to an audience or even sit around a table with a captive group.

Overcome Fear and have the right Mindset

When asked to give a formal or spontaneous presentation most people are fearful or nervous and yet it is precisely this energy that can be harnessed to make dynamic, lively, memorable and persuasive presentations.
Many presentation skill training's just teach the mechanics of how to present but before you can learn the skills you must learn to manage your mindset to present effectively.
Managing your mindset which includes your getting in touch with the intention of your message and managing your mind-body-emotional state is the key factors to presenting powerfully. In addition we coach and train participants to structure their presentation and language to get the point across with influence, thus presenting persuasively.
See our blog for presentation skills tips.

Benefits of Persuasive Presentation Skills Training

Participants or this presentation skills training will learn to:

• Harness nervous energy for effective presentation and communication
• Manage mind-body-emotional states for confidence and impact
• Recognize and make best use of existing strengths
• Gain a clear intention (Why) and focus for each presentation
• Implement techniques for varying vocal tones and body language.
• Org anise information in a clear and concise manner.
• Create an attention grabbing introduction.
• Stimulate easy interaction with an audience
• Easily generate stimulating and entertaining ways to get your ideas across
• Effectively handle questions
• Use Power Point correctly to enhance rather than destroy the presentation
• Develop an unique individual presentation style

Who should attend Persuasive Presentations?

Management professionals making presentations or public addresses, Trainers, Teachers. Anyone who wants improved self confidence and personal presentation.

Business Writing Skills

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"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing."
- Ben Franklin

Business often requires that we communicate in writing, either on paper or electronically. Written communication has a significant impact on your organisation's brand and reputation so it is essential that business executives are trained in correct Business Writing Skills.

Good business writing includes:

• Taking personal responsibility for ensuring the communication takes place.
• Audience and reader focus – understanding who will be receiving the message.
• Impact analysis – how will this communication be received and acted upon.
• Accuracy and clarity.
• Cultural sensitivity – to the culture of the organisation and to national cultures.
• Timeliness – prompt and to deadline.
• Focus on value. What value will this communication deliver?
• Risk management – knowing what can go wrong and how to mitigate these risks.
• Setting high personal standards.
• Follow-up and follow-through

Communication Excellence

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“The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives.” - Anthony Robbins

Communication skills are essential for self leadership and to influence others. Poor communication causes pain, conflict, loss of relationships, productivity and profit.
Communication means to create 'shared meaning and understanding' and yet most people define communication as 'getting your point across'.
Communication should be easy, but even when we all speak the same language and are from the same culture - misunderstanding and confusion occurs. In today's global world with people from different cultures with different first languages all working together the problem has been amplified. It is therefore essential that every company has an effective communication skills training program because communicating effectively takes real skill.
Read our Blog on Winning the Communication Game or listen to a  podcast on Communication Skills.

Communication Skills Training

Communication Excellence is a communication skills training that equips participants with the mindset and techniques to create shared meaning and understanding in the workplace as well as teaching how to 'get your point across.'
Communication Excellence is an effective foundational program for all employees and especially supervisors, sales people, customer service and those who work in teams. Effective communication skills can overcome 'silo mentality' or 'them and us' thinking.
Participants learn the NLP communication model that starts with the premise that people respond not to reality but to their internal mental map of reality. With this realisation we learn to listen more effectively, prepare and deliver our communication more precisely and ask effective questions to check for understanding.

Communication Excellence Content Includes:

• Understanding communication dynamics
• Awareness of communication blind spots
• The effect of emotion on communication
• How to read body language
• How to communicate on their wavelength
• Building trust and rapport
• Asking precise questions that get to the heart of understanding.
• The ability to see situations from multiple perspectives.
• Being a confident communicator

Conflict Management

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“Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict." - Dorothy Thompson

 

Up to 30% of a typical managers time is spent dealing with conflict (Thomas, K and Schmidt, W) and yet avoiding conflict is not only impossible but undesirable.
Some conflict is inevitable and so the effective leader needs to embrace conflict and create an environment where differences of perspective can be discussed and a win-win outcome created.
To elegantly manage conflict requires a high level of self leadership as well as excellent communication skills; for this reason we often recommend that this workshop be taken as a follow up module or additional content to another program.

Common Causes of Conflict

• Scarcity of resources (finance, equipment, facilities, etc)
• Different attitudes, values or perceptions
• Disagreements about needs, goals, priorities and interests
• Poor communication
• Poor or inadequate organisational structure
• Lack of teamwork
• Lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities

Conflict Management Workshop Content

Understanding Conflict
We explore what causes conflict and its destructive outcomes when handled poorly.
We build awareness of the levels of conflict and how it can be constructive.
The Win/Win Approach
Participants are introduced to the possibility of win/win rather than fight or flight. Through examples and exercises the find that there is something better than compromise - collaboration.
Valuing Differences
Understanding different perspectives, values and drivers equip the manager with the mind set to find common ground.

Advanced Listening
We examine listening from a non-judgment perspective and identify empathy blockers. We also rehearse how to listen when under attack.
Designing Options
Finally we look at tools for solving conflict, these include tools for clarifying the situation, for generating solutions and tools for negotiating the solution.

Five Tips for Managing Business Conflicts

Of course, conflict cannot always be avoided. So it is important for small business owners to remember the following when a joint venture or customer or client relationship breaks bad.

5 Tips for Managing Business Conflicts

1. Recognize that some conflict is unavoidable.

Adam Smith believed that free markets would result in an efficient — if unfair — allocation of goods. That may well be, but business is war. Many conflicts simply cannot be averted. You might want something done in two weeks while your partner or service provider has six months in mind. In this case, it’s unlikely that either party will be satisfied with a compromise.

Tip: Determine how much friction you can withstand.

2. Depersonalize the offending party.

Are there scam artists out there and generally unsavory folks? You bet, but most of the time disagreements stem from genuine miscommunications or conflicting priorities.

Tip: There’s a big difference between seeing things through different lenses and deliberately undermining a project, client, or event. Unless you have good reason to suspect otherwise, give your partner or client the benefit of the doubt.

3. Use the courts as a last resort.

Conflicts can often be resolved amicably. Small businesses often lack the financial and human resources to litigate a particularly contentious matter.

Tip: Lawsuits are expensive and, when time, money, and frustration are factored in, few ever win. Attorney fees add up and, almost always, the outcome is anything but immediate. Months or years are not uncommon for many small suits. Consider resolution or arbitration for quick and relatively painless ways to move on.

4. Understand where you are in the process.

At times, small business owners reach the point of no return with their partners or clients. Let’s say that I’m working on a new book and my editor goes AWOL. What to do? Well, it depends. If we’re just getting started, then I can replace him or her. If we’re in the final stages, then I’m less likely to do so.

Tip:This is a tricky one. Absolutes are few and far between; by definition, most conflicts arise somewhere in the middle of a project or engagement. Figure out the costs and benefits of making a change and go with your gut.

5. Walk away from a relationship if it just isn’t working.

A few years ago, one of my partners openly questioned my integrity in front of a client. This was a typical CYA move designed to deflect responsibility for her dropping the ball and causing a problem with the client.

Tip: It’s important to draw boundaries and enforce them, even if that means walking away. When people show their true colors, ask yourself if it’s really worth working with them in the present — and in future.

Conflict Resolution for Business
 

Conflict hurts business. It hurts in business performance and profitability, and also in increased stress levels and low morale in the workplace. Business Conflict Solutions can help.   

The beneficial effects of a harmonious organisation where people's energy, motivation and drive is aligned with the organisation's goals has enormous benefits.

Benefits of Business Conflict Solutions

Benefits include :

• A one-stop business confict resolution service, covering

• Resolution of one-off conflicts/disputes
• Resolution of endemic/long-standing conflicts within the business
• Early identification and pre-emptive prevention of potential conflict
• Promotion of a 'harmony culture' and mediation skills within the organisation

• Increased productivity, innovation, commitment and business performance
• Improved performance by individuals and teams - conflict is wasteful of time and energy
• Reduced absenteeism
• Improved morale

How can conflict be resolved ?

There is general recognition that mediation is helpful in formal conflicts, which may potentially end up in court. The different  types of traditional mediation are

• Family mediation e.g. children issues in divorce and separation
• Commercial mediation e.g. disputes over contracts between companies
• Civil mediation e.g. neighbour disputes
• Workplace mediation e.g.  disciplinary issues

Clearly, all of these can have impact on business performance to as greater or lesser extent; indeed, as accredited Commercial mediators, we offer such mediation as part of our service. However, there are also broader conflict issues in Business, which are different in some very important respects :

• They may not be related to 'formal' issues; if unaddressed, conflicts within businesses can have harmful effects on the people and the business, but they would generally not end up in court.
•  They encompass both explicit conflict and conflict 'below the surface'. 
• There are often conflicts involving key individuals in the business e.g conflicts in the board room, between teams, or conflicts caused by an organisational 'culture'
• There is a need to focus on 'preventative' as well as 'curative' action e.g. minimising the adverse effects of structural/process changes