Paul Vaughan, Regional Director, RCN West Midlands

FIND THE PASSION AND MAKE IT HAPPEN: A SHORT GUIDE TO INFLUENCING SKILLS

“Think twice before you speak, because your words and

influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the

mind of another”Napoleon

SOURCES OF POWER

The power of/to…

Position

Personality

Ideas

Intellect

Communicate

Connect

Invest

Reward

IA:85

BA:10 IA:60

BA:90

IA:80

BA:90

IA:90

BA:60IA:60

BA:100

IA:40

BA:100

IA: 90

BA:10

IA:80

BA:80

Leading Beyond Authority. J. Middleton

INFLUENCING PEOPLE

Influence of a person who is liked is greater

that that of one with the power to reward and

punish – (Lewin)People who influence others

seem approachable (Summers)

Liking and influence are linked

SUCCESSFUL INFLUENCING

Getting the result that meets your needs and the needs of your employer or all the parties involved in the issue.

Achieved by gaining mutual agreement and ensuring that the process doesn’t damage the relationship you have with your employer or others in the organisation:

“You cannot antagonize and influence at the same time”

J.S Knox

PASSION SCALE

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Key Question:

How passionately

do you feel about

your issue?

Not at all Feel passionately

FOCUS FOR YOUR JOURNEY

Circle of Commitment

Circle of Influence

Circle of Concern

Covey, S. R. 1990 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. New York. Fireside

Good communications skills including listening, questioning,

analysing and presenting information clearly

Knowledge of how to plan and prepare for what you want to

achieve

An understanding of what the person you are planning to

influence feels is important to them in relation to your case or

issue

An insight into some of the questions they may raise during your efforts to influence them

Key knowledge and skills for successful

influencing

VAUGHAN’S 9 STEP MODEL FOR INFLUENCING

See handout

WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE YOUR INFLUENCE?

What do you want to influence?

Who do you want to influence?

•Write a simple, clear statement that states the essence of what you are aiming to achieveAre you clear about what you want

to achieve?•What will it feel like, look like and what will it sound like when you have achieved your goal?How will you know when you have

achieved it?

•If you cannot get exactly what you want, is there something else that would come close?

Identify your bottom line and include any alternatives?

•By writing it down and telling others what you are intending to do there is a greater chance that you will do it. Have you written it down and told

other people what you goal is?

IDENTIFY YOUR GOAL

Key Question:

What are you

looking to

achieve?

ASSESS YOUR CURRENT SITUATION

Key Action:

Undertake an

assessment of

what currently

happens in your

workplace Issue

Who is involved?

Current policies

Who does the issue affect? What is the

impact on those whom are affected?

What are the current gaps in practice?

How does what happens in your place of work compare with

what happens elsewhere?

Is what you want to achieve realistic?

Depending on what you find out you may have to adjust your

original goal

CHECK IF YOU “R” SMART

GATHER EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT YOUR CASE

Key Questions:

What sort of

evidence will help

you make the

change in practice

you are seeking?

What is the current main intervention for the patient condition?

Is there an alternative treatment to

consider?

What are the clinical outcomes from the

various interventions?

What statistically evidence is there to

support your position?

What are the resource or budget

implications?

Are there any Nice Guidelines/Clinical

Guidelines relevant?

What do your patients think? How does the

current situation impact on them?

Mortality rates/number of

patient complaints

Develop a 'story' that helps to atriculate the impact and the benefit

to patients.

Identify those who have an interest or a “stake” in what you are trying to

achieve

Identify who has the power to grant

your request

Consider how they can help you

IDENTIFY AND MAP YOUR KEY STAKEHOLDER

Key Questions:

Who has the power

to make the change

in where you work?

Who else can help

you influence

them?

STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS TOOL

Key Stakeholder

Is opposed to your issue

Will let what you are trying to do happen

Will help you to achieve your goal

Have the power to grant you your request

SH: 1 ✗/✔SH: 2 ✗ ✔

SH 3: ✗ ✔

Know what evidence to use to get the best

results

Gather your selected evidence, relate it to your goal and use it

confidently and professionally

Select the three most powerful pieces of

evidence and develop your key messages

around them

DEVELOP THREE KEY MESSAGES FOR

INFLUENCING

Key Action:

Make your messages

specific for your

stakeholders

Select the best

evidence to influence

your stakeholders

GROUP EXERCISE

Tell the person next to you what you do? What difference do you make to the team or your patients/clients?

How easy did you find it to capture the essence of your contribution?

MAKING

A

DIFFERENCE

DEVELOP THREE KEY MESSAGES FOR

INFLUENCING

ARRANGE EVIDENCE TO ACHIEVE GOAL (AETAG Template)

WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO ACHIEVE: State your outcome from Step 1

Start with your strongest reason for being granted your request

Evidence to support your reason

Second strongest reason for being granted your request

Evidence to support your reason

Third strongest reason for being granted your request

Evidence to support your reason

Summary of your case (Just make two or three simple statements here, no more than 150 words)SOUND BITE: A one line statement to finish. (This needs to be a powerful statement that captures your main reason for being granted your request: no more than 30 words)

Key Action:

Use this tool for constructing your key influencing points.

Practice the reasons/arguments you plan to use on someone – speak it

out loud

Get feedback on your overall objective and on your arguments

Ask your “guinea pig” to come up with

questions/objections and readjust as

necessary

TEST OUT YOUR KEY MESSAGES

Consider how you will manage this

meeting

Plan the time, venue, have

examples to hand, be assertive

Agree how and when you will be informed of the

outcome

MEET WITH THE PERSON YOU WANT TO INFLUENCE

Create state

Clear perceptions and good

judgement

Self awareness and control

Ability to analyse/balance different views

Openness to others

MANAGING THE MEETING

PRINCIPLES FOR INFLUENCING

Make the pie bigger

Focus on the interests, not

positions

Separate the people from the problem

Insist the results based on objective

standards

What have you achieved?

Seek feedback and capture

what worked well

Record your learning from

the experience in your portfolio

REVIEW THE RESULTS

Write down the worst thing that

could happen

Ask yourself, if I wait, how much better will things

be?

Break tasks down into small pieces and start tackling

them

Reverse prioritise to say no to the less important

tasks

Set deadlines for yourself and share these with others

Broccoli or Brussels Sprouts

Principle

STRIVE AND THRIVE TOP TIPS

What would you attempt to do if you knew that you would not

fail?

WARNING

WARNING

Some people want it to happen,

Some wish it would happen,

Others make it happen

Michael Jordon

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