Welcome! Influencing skills are a crucial part of any workplace because they enable you to effectively persuade and negotiate with others to achieve your desired outcomes.
Whether you are part of a team or leading one, it is a key skill for you to have in order to bring out the best in everyone and help them perform effectively.
Influencing skills can take different forms, depending on the situation. They may include using verbal communication, employing non-verbal cues, active listening, creating rapport, being tactful, establishing common ground, and empathizing with others.
All these skills enable you to create better relationships with your colleagues, clients, or customers and help you gain their trust and respect.
Why is it important to have strong influencing skills in the workplace?
The answer is simple: they can help you achieve your goals effectively and quickly. Being able to influence others is especially important when you need to convince stakeholders of the benefits of a decision or a particular course of action. A lack of effective influencing skills can often result in misunderstandings, conflicts, and ultimately, a failure to achieve your desired goal.
For example, in a company, two departments have distinct opinions on a major decision that affects the entire organization.
While both departments have valid reasons, the decision needs to be finalized quickly. Without being able to effectively influence either side, it can lead to a stalemate that could affect the overall profits of the organization.
However, with strong influencing skills, a leader can convince both sides to explore other options and create a plan that takes everyone’s opinions into account. This ultimately results in a better decision that benefits the company as a whole.
Now, it is time to assess your influencing skills.
Taking this self-assessment test will help you understand your strengths and weaknesses and identify areas for improvement. By doing so, you can enhance your effectiveness at work and achieve better results.
Let’s get started!
To conduct the self-assessment, simply answer all questions, and click the calculate results button at the end.
If you scored 0-20 points on the influencing skills self-assessment test, there may be areas where you might need to improve. You may face some difficulty convincing and influencing people to see things from your perspective. You may struggle with communication skills, building connections, and trust with others. But don’t worry, by practicing active listening, cultivating empathy, honing your communication skills, and building rapport, you can significantly improve your influencing skills.
If you scored 21-40 points on the influencing skills self-assessment test, you possess some influencing skills, but there is room for improvement. You may have occasional success in persuading people to see things from your perspective but may have difficulty in doing so consistently. To improve your influencing skills, focus on developing a better understanding of what motivates people and try to become a more effective communicator. You can also try to build stronger relationships with your colleagues or friends to increase your influence.
Congratulations! If you scored 41-60 points on the influencing skills self-assessment test, you have strong influencing skills. You are likely able to persuade and influence people easily and build strong relationships with them. Keep using these skills to become a successful leader or team member, but also continue to develop them to enhance your abilities even further. Think outside the box and identify new ways to motivate and persuade people, and keep a positive and collaborative approach to influence and lead others.
Influencing others is an essential skill for success in the workplace, and in your personal life as well. To be an effective influencer, you need to be able to understand people’s needs and concerns, communicate effectively, and build trust. If you have recently completed a self-assessment on your influencing skills and want to improve them further, here are five quick tips that can help you become better at it.
Building rapport helps to create a connection with the person you are trying to influence. To build rapport, try to find common ground, show that you understand their point of view, and be genuine in your interactions. Listen actively, ask open-ended questions and show that you care. By building rapport, you can establish a level of trust and make it easier for the other person to be influenced by you.
Active listening involves giving your full attention to the other person, showing interest in what they are saying, and trying to understand their perspective. To become a better active listener, eliminate distractions, maintain eye contact, avoid interrupting, and show empathy when appropriate. By being an active listener, you can gain a better understanding of the other person’s needs and concerns and tailor your message accordingly.
Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people assume that the actions of others reflect the correct behavior for a given situation. To use social proof to your advantage, point out examples of where others have successfully implemented your proposed solution or idea. Convince your stakeholders that others in similar positions have benefited from your idea, and they will be more likely to follow suit.
The power of the word ‘because’ is well documented in scientific research. People are more likely to comply with requests when given a reason, even if it is not a particularly compelling one. Simply adding the word ‘because’ to your request can increase the likelihood of compliance. Ensure your reason is clear and concise for increased impact.
Confidence is key to effective influencing. You need to show confidence in yourself, your message and your ability to bring about positive outcomes for all parties. Avoid being overly aggressive or submissive, and instead, show a level of assertiveness that highlights your conviction on the matter. Speak clearly and with authority, and don’t be afraid to take control and steer the conversation in the direction you want it to go.
By following these five tips, you can significantly improve your influencing skills as well as your overall communication style. Remember that influencing is about building a connection with the other person, and understanding their needs and concerns. Keep this in mind as you implement these tips and continue to work on your influencing skills.
Do you have a growth mindset? Find out with our self-assessment test!
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