For anyone leading from the middle, influence is an active process. It requires commitment to the vision, the discipline to implement, and the patience to practice it continually. There are many models of influence, that is, action steps you can follow to begin the process of persuading and influencing others. Here is one that em- phasizes the business case — that is, what we must do to accom- plish our goals. This model draws upon many time-tested action steps that experienced persuaders and influences have used for generations. As you employ these steps, you may find yourself going back and forth between steps, even going back to the begin- ning and leaping ahead. The reason is that most work environ-
ments are changing, and leaders need to be adept enough to rec- ognize the shifting sands as well as adaptable enough to do what is necessary to keep the case of influence moving forward.
SC A N T H E HO R I Z O N
Look for what is happening in the organization. For example, is the organization going through a form of transition, such as reor- ganization or pending merger? Influencers should determine the external challenges facing the organization in terms of competi- tors, global and local trends, and general health of the industry. It is essential to diagnose organizational health; that is, are people engaged in their work, do they trust their managers, and do they enjoy belonging to the organization? The answers to questions such as these will enable you to shape your influence argument.
ID E N T I F Y T H E PL U S E S A N D MI N U S E S
Discover those factors that positively affect your degree of influ- ence as well as those that may detract from it. Those factors may be economic, political, or people. For example, if you are champi- oning reorganization and the organizational climate is toxic, few people are going to want to listen to what you have to say, let alone be persuaded by your argument. Nonetheless, you should do some organizational mapping to identify people who will support you as well as those who may oppose you. Opposition will occur in the healthiest organizations; in fact, good influencers even welcome opposition because it gives them the opportunity to develop and make their case in a more realistic fashion.
AR G U E T H E VA L U E PR O P O S I T I O N
Focus on what will improve the organization. Emphasize that your argument is based on empirical data. Demonstrate the value that your case adds to the organization. In fact, if you are not adding value, you really have no business making a case. The great philosopher of continuous improvement known as kaizen,
Masaaki Imai, defines gemba (Japanese for “real place”) as “the place where the products or services are formed.” According to Imai, “management must maintain close contact with the realities
of gemba in order to solve whatever problems arise there.”15That is
sound advice for anyone developing a business case. Get to the core of your argument and demonstrate how it will make things better for customers, employees, and the company. Most important, avoid personality contests. That’s a losing proposition. By focusing on value, you will take your case to a higher level where it belongs.
MA K E T H E BU S I N E S S CA S E
Facts make persuasion easier. Demonstrate the features and bene- fits of your initiative. Relate those facts to organizational improve- ment; that is, we can do things faster, better, easier, and less expensively. Make certain to link the business case to the personal. Explain why it will be better for individuals. Show ways that your ideas will benefit them. This is not always possible. In fact, your good idea may mean that certain individuals will lose some of their independence or decision-making authority. If this is the case, find ways to maximize their autonomy in other areas. Lean, for example, requires a high degree of thinking, decision making, and autonomy on a local level.
OV E R C O M E OB S TA C L E S
Not everything will fall your way. You could be sailing along smoothly with seemingly no opposition, when suddenly, the roof falls in. This may happen due to the emergence of a new competi- tor, the sudden appointment of a new senior executive, or simply changing business trends. Be prepared to revise your argument and account for new factors. You may also anticipate obstacles, too. Develop your case for overcoming them. The more robust your case, as well as the more resilience you show, the better chance you have of overcoming what comes your way.
GO F O R T H E HE A R T
As much as you base your argument on fact, you make it real. Few of us outside of the boardroom get excited about strategic propo- sitions; we get enthused about making a positive difference for ourselves, our team, and our company. Talk up the potential ben- efits for individuals. Talk about how individuals will benefit from your case. This is essential for arguing initiatives across borders. People want to feel that you have their best interests at heart. Of course, this is not always possible, but do what you can to frame arguments in individual terms, that is, what’s in it for me in terms of doing my job and my opportunities for advancement and growth. You strive always for commitment versus compliance. When you capture people’s hearts as well as their heads, commit- ment is more attainable as well as actionable.
CR E AT E WI N- WI N S
You want to win your argument. You also want people to embrace your cause, but you want to make certain that people will support you, not simply go through the motions. One way is to make cer- tain that all parties, including those whose objections you over- came, feel they are winning, too. For example, if you have won permission for launching a new product over the objection of someone more senior or who proposed something similar, have a conversation with that person. Invite her to contribute ideas or re- sources. You may even propose she join your team. Magnanimity in victory will win you favors and maybe even some friends. But you are not acting simply to be a nice person, you are acting to cre- ate ownership, a factor that engenders commitment, perhaps not immediately, but in time certainly.
Few cases of influence are exactly the same because no two people are exactly the same. You will also find yourself repeating this model again and again. For example, in one instance, you may be in the scan stage; in another instance, you may be in the
overcome stage. That is to be expected and shows that you are ac- tive in persuading others to your cause. If this model does not wholly work for you, find another, or develop your own. The im- portant thing is that you leverage your leadership to bring others together around a common cause.