Leadership Institute

Influencing Others

Learning Format: Classroom

Order No. TQ24

Flattened, high-involvement organizations increasingly rely on team members and individual contributors to lead various initiatives. Often these employees need to influence people over whom they have no formal authority. Their skill at influencing others often determines the success or failure of their efforts.

This course helps participants create and follow a plan for influencing others.

Do You Face Any of These Issues?

  • Do your people need others to help them complete tasks because they don’t have the time, skills, or resources to do them?
  • Do they have to persuade others to implement ideas even though they’re not in charge?
  • Do they know how to win people over when encountering resistance to suggestions and plans?

Performance Objectives

Helps associates:

  • Increase acceptance of their ideas and ensure involvement from others.
  • Feel more confident in making suggestions for improvement.
  • Implement new ideas more efficiently.
  • Enhance their reputation as strong contributors to meeting organizational goals.

Primary Competency Developed

  • Gaining Commitment

Secondary Competencies Developed

  • Building Strategic Working Relationships
  • Communication

Course Overview

  • Basics of Influence: Through discussion, learners discover the basics of influence: why to influence, whom you can or should influence, and what influence is and is not. An exercise addresses the challenges and difficulties of influencing others and the characteristics of successful and unsuccessful influencers.
  • Influence Planning: Participants learn about establishing objectives, identifying benefits, and preparing strategies. The Influence Planner provides a tool for covering this information.
  • Applying Preparation Strategies: A video shows a group that is planning an influencing interaction and identifying preparation strategies. Learners use case studies to apply preparation strategies.
  • Communication Strategies: Participants review components of the Interaction Process—Key Principles and Interaction Guidelines—as they relate to influencing others. They continue working through their Interaction Planners.
  • Skill Practice Process: A positive model shows an employee conducting an influencing discussion. A review of the Interaction Planner used by the employee helps participants provide feedback on the employee’s use of the skills. Learners practice conducting discussions using Interaction Process skills and provide feedback to one another.
  • Applying Skills on the Job: Learners use an Interaction Planner to prepare for an upcoming on-the-job influencing opportunity. They relate how the skills and concepts learned support the Basic Beliefs (introduced in Interaction Skills for Success).

Video Segment Summaries

  • A cross-functional team meets to plan an influencing interaction.
  • A narrator explains Interaction Guidelines for influencing others.
  • A team member models an influencing interaction.

Course Details

  • Target audience: All employees up to mid-level leaders.
  • Course length: 3 hours, or 1 hour, 38 minutes Fast Track.
  • Facilitator certification: DDI-certified facilitator required.
  • Prerequisites: Interaction Skills for Success or Essentials of Leadership.
  • Series: Service/professional or manufacturing.
  • Group size: 10 to 20 people.
  • Prework: No.

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