Influence: Art & Science

by CompetenciesEmotional IntelligenceRelationshipsSkills Development

Influence: An Art & A Science

Leaders often find themselves in high-stakes influence conversations. Influence is having a conversation with a clear outcome, so that the other person thinks, feels and behaves how you wanted them to think, feel and behave…with authenticity and without manipulation.

The most successful leaders....

The most successful leaders influence others to embrace and implement their ideas. There is an art and a science to influence, and to knowing the right conversations to have with others in order to get results, while still keeping the relationship strong.

Do you know someone that is an effective influencer? How would you describe that person? Certainly well developed emotional intelligence comes to mind. But what else? What’s the secret?

Can you relate to any of these statements?

  • I feel invisible in the organization.
  • It’s challenging to get my ideas heard around here.
  • I am getting lots of push back on….
  • I am not having the impact I want to have or know I can have.
  • That meeting didn’t go well.
  • They didn’t like my idea.
  • I sometimes just want to let loose and say what needs to be said, but that would be political suicide.

You can learn

There are steps you can take to learn that art and science of influence. One of the steps involves being prepared and having your bases covered before going into a high-stakes conversation.

Click on the worksheet image to the right to download your copy of our Influence Planning Tool.

Being prepared and anticipating situations will help you move the yardstick in the direction you want.

Click here to download your copy of the influence planning tool

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What our brains reveals_LI

What Our Brain Reveals About Emotions & Learning

by CompetenciesSkills Development

Development plans should include working on competencies that are either required to perform better in your current role or to prepare you for a future role. But did you know that you may not be as open to all learning?

What our brains reveals_LI

Development plans should include working on competencies that are either required to perform better in your current role or to prepare you for a future role. But did you know that you may not be as open to all learning?

If only we could uncover our own or our staff’s hidden beliefs silently undermining any development efforts? TTI Success Insight’s Center for Applied Cognitive Research (this our strategic partner) is doing just that, and the results may surprise you and solve many of your training dilemmas. 

One of the assessments we use is the TriMetrix® DNA™ part of which measures competence in 25 work-related skills. You can find more information about this assessment on our website’s Assessment Centre page. TTI SI started 

with assessment volunteer candidates for this research project. They  knew exactly which competencies were well-developed, developed, moderately developed or not yet developed. That was the baseline.

Their research affirmed that skills are experience-based but most importantly, that each one is connected to an emotional reaction. The emotional reaction can be positive, negative or neutral. Someone with a positive reaction to a competency/skill, will have a positive learning experience in the particular skill that they have a positive emotional reaction to. While someone with an emotional aversion to a competency/skill may not. Some people don’t necessarily have a positive or negative emotional reaction thus likely little impact on their learning to either extreme.

In the TTI SI lab, they are deep into neuroscience. During the trials, this is what they found a brain looks like when there is a positive, neutral and negative response to a learning event:

Brain_Emotions_975x418

Our research affirms skills are experience based and tied directly to emotional reactions.

Dr. Ron Bonstetter, Senior Vice-President of Research & Development, TTI Success Insights

The key finding from this research is to uncover any negative assumptions, beliefs or self doubts that you or your staff may have with respect to the learning prior to designing a learning and development plan.

The Implications

According to TTI SI, “The big takeaway is that some marginally developed skills may be extremely difficult to be more proficient in, due to negative subconscious emotional baggage people unknowingly hold on to as deep beliefs about themself.”  Furthermore, “When an individual holds strong beliefs, it may be easier to develop skills for which they have little or no previous experience than to tackle a developmental plan encumbered by self-doubt or worse, total aversion to the concept.” 

Want to Learn More?

You can download the full white paper by clicking here.

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