“Influence is not really a skill, although it requires skill. Influence is who you are and how you are perceived by others. It is vital to be skilled at communicating in an influential way, to understand how others think, how to connect with them and how to persuade them.” ~ Suzanne Bates, Author of Discover your CEO Brand.

This couldn’t be better said. You might be thinking influence and persuasion are only for the leaders, but this is not true. It is an essential skill we all must have for career growth.  Before you can persuade, you must be well prepared for others to be influenced by you. The best approach to influencing others is to use a combination of sincerity, authenticity, persistence and communication skills. In order to accomplish these attributes you must first serve as a role model for what you expect from others. For example, if you want work turned in on time, turn your work in ahead of time.

Strive to understand before trying to be understood. You need to have a reason(s) and have established credibility as to why someone should listen to you. Once you’ve accomplished all of this you must be able to communicate effectively, otherwise all is lost. Remember, practice makes perfect. Practice by yourself what you want to communicate to others before going out there. Other tactics include planning events and activities with your coworkers. If people look forward to hearing from you then your ability to persuade becomes that much easier.

Do not fall victim of too much information (TMI). It is important to be a good listener, but don’t share confidential information or gossip about coworkers. Getting along with coworkers is a skill that must be learned and not taken for granted. Above all, LISTEN! You absolutely must know what your audience in order of hoping to influence and persuade.

For more ways to influence people at work, click here.