Influencing Skills Workshop
Agenda
When and why leaders choose to use influence over authority
Looks at the advantages and disadvantages of both
approaches. Helps students discern which is best suited
to different situations.
Overcoming resistance and building rapport
Humans are wired to resist pressure. This part of the
session identifies some of the actions and behaviours that
trigger resistance and what can be done to disarm it.
Students learn how to build rapport and make people
receptive to their ideas and suggestions.
What marketers and the world of advertising can
teach us about influencing
Here we look at two techniques and formulas – AIDA and
PAS – which are used to by marketers to influence
behaviour.
Storytelling
Stories influence people by connecting with listeners and
causing them to desire similar outcomes. Students craft
stories that connect with people’s emotional needs and
stimulate desire.
Understanding people’s underlying motivations
Use of strategic questioning to uncover people’s real
interests and concerns. This part of the session highlights
the importance of learning why people hold the views and
opinions they do.
Aligning your idea/proposal with other party’s
interests and concerns
Framing is a technique used to align one person’s idea or
proposal with the interests and concerns of another.
Working in groups students practise this technique by
creating messages that address the other person’s agenda.
Key skills: influencing, reflective listening, strategic
questioning, rapport building, empathy, emotional
awareness, storytelling, objection handling, framing