I. BUILD YOUR LEADERSHIP BRAND II. USE YOUR POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE III.

SCRIPT YOURSELF TO INFLUENCE

Achieving business influence begins with the right mindset. This means being purposeful in your communication, understanding Building strong relationships is the next step in achieving influence in business. Doing this effectively requires political intelligence: understanding the The fourth step in achieving business influence is communicating strong ideas with clarity. Every time you communicate, your relationship with your
who you are as a leader, and shaping the type of leader you wish to be. political realities of the workplace and communicating in a way that reflects these realities and demonstrates that you are politically sensitive. audience changes in one of three ways: it can grow, remain the same, or degrade. The Leader’s Script® is a flexible template that helps you plan for and
Remember that influence is a two-way street—it’s important to be aware of who wishes to influence you (and who does influence you) as well as who shape these important communications. And it helps you grow your relationships.
you wish to influence. The steps below will help you identify and understand the relationships that are most important for you to develop. There are three key components of any conversation: the opening, main idea, and the closing:
STEP 1 ADOPT THE LEADER’S MINDSET
The following six principles underpin the influential leader’s mindset. 1. GRABBER 2. MESSAGE
STEP 1 DECIDE WHICH RELATIONSHIPS
They will ensure you are communicating with purpose, in every interaction.
ARE CRUCIAL FOR YOU TO DEVELOP ID How will you start the conversation? How will you lead to your message? What is the one thing you want your audience to be convinced of? Make sure
I. VISION OPEN AREA BLIND AREA Choose from the following based on your audience and the opportunity: your message is:
things you know and Things others know or • Know who is key to your success
II. CONVICTION • Personal grabber: something about you or about your audience that • Based on your belief
that others know too have observed about you • Build high-level relationships DI creates rapport or empathy
III. INFORMATION TO INSPIRATION • Audience-centered
that you either did not
• Understand how to influence those who are key to your success • Factual Grabber: a fact, statistic, or piece of information that creates
IV. COURAGE know or don’t agree with • Positive
• Believe that you can influence these people context for your message
S
V. EVERYDAY • Supported by facts
Influence moves in two directions. In order to influence others, you must first understand your position in • Literary Grabber: a reference that creates a relevant comparison
VI. AUDIENCE-CENTERED (something you’ve read, a metaphor, or a quote) • In line with your organization’s outlook
your universe of stakeholders. Use the bullseye diagram to plot your stakeholder universe. Place yourself at
HIDDEN AREA UNKNOWN AREA the centre, and ask yourself: who has influence over your ability to achieve your vision?
STEP 2 AUDIT YOUR PERSONAL BRAND things you know things neither you Closest to you are your Direct Influencers (DIs). Direct Influencers have influence over both your beliefs 3. CALL TO ACTION
about yourself that nor others know and your actions. One example of a Direct Influencer would be the person you report to, because that per-
There is often a gap between how we see ourselves and how others What would you like to see happen next? Be sure that it is as concrete,
others do not know son can influence what you believe and exert a direct influence over your actions. In the outer ring are your
perceive us. Narrowing this gap is crucial to managing your personal brand time-stamped, and assigned as possible. This is the perfect place to build
Indirect Influencers (IDs). Indirect Influencers have influence over your beliefs but not necessarily your
effectively. There are four basic ways to reflect on how wide the gap is in a follow-up call, conversation, or meeting.
actions. An example of an Indirect Influencer would be a peer, because that person does not have structural
between your self-knowledge and the perceptions of others. These four power to influence your actions directly but can influence them indirectly by influencing your beliefs.
areas are represented on the diagram to the right.

STEP 3 COMMUNICATE YOUR DESIRED BRAND

STEP 2 RATE THE STATUS OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH PERSON YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED V. LISTEN ACTIVELY
When rating the status of your relationships, think about how well you
I. COMMUNICATE CONSISTENTLY. Avoid “brand confusion” by know each individual as well as the level of trust that exists between you. The fifth step in achieving business influence is developing your listening The diagram below shows you the four crucial places to LISTEN in a conver-
deciding what you stand for and committing to embodying those qualities skills. Listening lays the groundwork for leading by allowing you to form a pic- sation. These are not the only places where listening is important, but they
in every interaction. 0: No Relationship 2: Growing relationship ture of how others perceive your ideas. It gives you access to the reservations are key check-in points that allow you to PAUSE and assess how you are being
1: New relationship 3: Established relationship and objections that others might have. And it deepens your understanding of received.
II. COMMUNICATE CONSTANTLY. Every interaction is an opportunity
the person you’re speaking to.
to shape your brand. Less formal interactions are often some of your best
opportunities to project authenticity.
STEP 3 RATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH PERSON LISTEN MENTALLY:
III. COMMUNICATE WITH STORIES. Share personal stories about
yourself to connect with people and reinforce your key messages. LISTEN • Stay with the speaker—rather than skipping ahead in your mind.
When rating the effectiveness of each of your relationships, think about how often your interactions
IV. COMMUNICATE NON-VERBALLY. Recognize the power of non-verbal Grabber • Paraphrase and mirror the speaker’s language to ensure that you understand.
with each individual lead to actions or results and whether those results are furthering your vision. Subject
cues and tone. Use your eye contact, pace, body language and expression Message • Help others define their thinking rather than dismissing ideas in their
to cultivate a strong physical presence. 0: Never produces results 2: Frequently produces results formative stages.
V. COMMUNICATE WITH CLEAR LANGUAGE. Use everyday words that 1: Sometimes produces results 3:. Always produces results
LISTEN
will convey your ideas clearly and concisely. Emphasize your conviction
with words like “I believe” and “I’m confident that.” Body LISTEN EMOTIONALLY
VI. COMMUNICATE THROUGH OTHERS. Those who believe in your NAME RELATIONSHIP/IMPORTANCE TO YOU STATUS EFFECTIVENESS • Acknowledging the feelings of others explicitly.
leadership will be willing and able to share their experience of you with (0–3) (0–3)
LISTEN • Notice others’ non-verbal cues.
others. Create allies and sponsors by cultivating relationships.
• Ask questions when you are at an impasse.
Restated Message

LISTEN LISTEN ACTIVELY

Call to Action Defuse tension and build rapport with your audience. Before you begin to
persuade:
DISARM—to build common ground—“You’re right…” “That’s true…” “I agree…”
LISTEN PHYSICALLY EMPATHIZE—to show that you understand—“I understand that…” “I can see
• Be present. You must be “in the moment” to connect with others. that you feel…”

• Use open body language and eye contact to create rapport.
• Eliminate physical distractions such as laptops, phones, and papers.
SUPPORT—to show respect and defuse tension—“I know you have done
this successfully in the past…” “You bring creative solutions to these types of
problems…”
INQUIRE—if you need more information before you can persuade —“What
would it take to get you on side?”

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IV. NETWORK INTELLIGENTLY VI. DEVELOP A DYNAMIC PHYSICAL PRESENCE
The sixth step in achieving business influence is to develop physical presence. Presence is a quality that we ascribe to people who can connect with us and
Step three in achieving business influence is expanding your network. A strong network is important to your career—but what is the
hold our attention. When they speak to us they are literally present. This ability to be “in the moment” and to draw the audience in is essential for leaders—but
best way to build one? It’s important to remember that effective networking is about cultivating high quality relationships based on
how can you achieve it? Presence is a practice in two important ways: first, it can be learned and mastered; and second, it must be practiced in all situations.
genuine mutual interests. An intentional and thoughtful approach is required.
Presence begins with clarity of thought. The most engaging speakers have a clear message prepared, and a genuine conviction behind it.
The chart below will help you target the right people and identify networking situations that will help you build relationships strategically
This conviction helps them exude an authentic presence that is about connecting to inspire rather than to entertain.
and authentically. Recognize the power of preparation! Knowing how you’ll start the conversation (your grabber) and what you want to get across
(your message) will go a long way towards ensuring your networking interactions are successful.

USE CONFIDENT BODY LANGUAGE USE THE RIGHT PACE

NAME PURPOSE KEY MESSAGE GRABBER IDEA • Stand or sit tall—stature gives you presence. • Slow down. Don’t try to speak at the speed of your thoughts.
• Be open. Keep your arms and hands open, not closed or folded. • Pause! Ensure the audience can digest and absorb each
• Use purposeful gestures—connect your movements to your words. idea you share.
• Articulate. Enunciate words clearly so the ideas they represent are
conveyed clearly.
MAKE YOUR EYE CONTACT CONFIDENT
AND CONVERSATIONAL
KEEP YOUR EXPRESSION NATURAL
• Establish a connection by making eye contact before
you begin speaking. • Be conversational. Use short, easy to grasp sentences and
a natural, personal tone.
• Hold your audience by maintaining eye contact for the
duration of each idea. • Be passionate—use your tone to show your audience how
they should feel about what you’re saying.
• “Land” each idea with someone—don’t drop down to your
notes before you are finished. • Be confident. Ensure your voice reflects the confidence
you have in your message.

ACHIEVING BUSINESS
INFLUENCE ™ THROUGH
INSPIRATIONAL
COMMUNICATION
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