TOPIC 10

INFLUENCE

Power = the “official” (org-backed & controlled) right to assume designated org responsibilities & order others to assist youInfluence = an informal (not backed by org power) attempt to make people behave in certain ways for professional or personal agendas

• Power is limited by the org; influence is limited by human dynamics: interdependencies + personalities + agendas.• Power most affects official org activities; influence most affects the informal (human interactions) “real” org.

• Power is visible; influence is invisible. • The more you use power, the more other sources of power will be used against you; the more you use positive influence, the more it might be used to support you.

POWER MOVES• Hiring/firing • Job descriptions• Policies & rules• Meeting agendas • Budgets• Departments & formal org structure• Product strategy

INFLUENCE IN ACTION

•Teamwork & virtual teams•Brainstorming•Leading/motivating•Group dynamics (peer pressure, “groupthink,” employee morale, etc.)

P3Help you deal productively

with workplace dramas

POSITIVE INFLUENCE:

•Benefits multiple agendas•Gives people choices via participation

Positive I.I.• Turning me into we (independence into interdependence)• My success becomes our success.• 4 I AMs magnets

NEGATIVE INFLUENCE:

• Is hatched by personal agendas• Feeds on disguises, deceptions, manipulation, & exploitation• Creates resistance

Negative I.I.• “Follow me (us) & we’ll go places together.”•Mutual back-scratching• “Do me (us) a favor…”• “Join our side & we’ll win.”• “No one will know.”

INTERACTIVE INFLUENCE

The potential for influence is greatest in the heat of the moment of human engagement: interpersonal productivity + genuine emotion. Know where & when people are psychologically engaged.

P1Increase your professional play-making

savvy

INFLUENCE STRATEGIES (ranked by greatest + potential)

1. Persuasiveness 2. Networking3. Expertise 4. Innovative thinking5. Politics (negative

potential)

Utexts

Utexts wants to transition out of printed texts into digital online texts. A project team of Utexts production & marketing brainstormed strategic ideas they hope will influence their exec team to reinvent the company.

UTEXTS TRANSITION

TACTICS (using the 5 influence

strategies from the concept slides)

1. Make the ancillary learning package that accompanies the digitext the main profit center. (Inno think #4)

2. Survey college students to find out their point of view about printed vs. digital textbooks. (Networking #2)

3. Make JCs & tech schools bigger profit drivers than 4-year colleges. (Net #2)

4. Recruit academics at tier-2 schools to write practical texts, & hire pedagogy consultants to develop hands-on software relevant enough to sell the texts. (Expertise #3)

5. Retain lobbyist to sell state pols on budget benefits of cheaper higher ed digi texts (Politics #5)

6. Buy high potential digi publisher (Power not influence)

7. Mine Facebook data base for advertising/promo ideas (Net #2)

8. Launch online ad campaign to profs & academic depts (Persuasiveness #1)

MAKI

NG

PLAYS!

1. Knowing when to use formal power vs. informal influence

2. Increasing your influence via superior interpersonal skills

3. Minimizing the harm you cause & the good you generate by using power & influence