Building Leadership Skills Convincing & Influencing Instructor: Marie L. Radford, Ph.D. An Infopeople Workshop Summer 2009

This Workshop Is Brought to You by the Infopeople Project Infopeople is a federally-funded grant project supported by the California State Library. It provides a wide variety of training to California libraries. Infopeople workshops are offered around the state and are open registration on a first-come, first-served basis. For a complete list of workshops, and for other information about the project, go to the Infopeople website at infopeople.org.

Introductions Instructor Participants –Name –Library –Position –Your Interests, Telling A (Convincing) Lie

Overview Influencing, Convincing, Persuading - definitions, tactics, & ethics Resistance to Change Generating Compliance Strategies for Making a Persuasive Case

What’s the Difference? Influencing Convincing Persuading

Strongly Opposed Mod. Opposed Slightly Opposed NeutralSlightly in Favor Mod. in Favor Strongly in Favor Degrees of Persuasion Persuasion involves any movement by the other from left to right.

16 Tried & True Influence Tactics Marwell & Schmitt’s 1976 classic taxonomy See Tip Sheet!

Ethics of Influence & Persuasion Define ethics? Right vs. wrong? What moral principles guide you? How do you usually strike a balance: –What you want? –What is ethical? –Desired outcome?

Exercise #2 I Was Appreciated – How Leaders Influence Others Through Acknowledgement

For Discussion What did you learn? How do leaders spread positive influence? Negativity? What impact does gratitude have on your performance? Self-esteem? How can you tell gratitude is sincere? Opportunities for using influence to motivate others?

11 BREAK TIME Please return on time, Thanks!

Types of Resistance to Change General resistance –I don’t want to –I’m too busy Specific resistance –It’s too expensive –It’ll take too much time Passive-aggressive resistance –Whatever

Exercise #3 “Clasp Your Hands” Resistance to Change

Exercise #4 “We don’t do that at our library” Resistance to Change

Countering Resistance Accept as part of process Uncover reasons Address resistance –Logic –Humor –Challenge –9 Laws of Persuasion

9 Laws of Persuasion Hogan (2007) See Tip Sheet.

Exercise #5 Convincing Others Getting to Yes

For Discussion What did you learn? More difficult to persuade, or to resist? Why? How can you use win-win thinking to be persuasive?

Think & Act “Win-Win” Identify & satisfy underlying needs Look out for yourself & other Actively seek & create wins

Words that Influence Be positive –Let me find out… –What I can do is… –Would you please… Be curious –Please tell me more… Beware influence destroyers –See Tip Sheet!

More Power Words Next time… Instead… Despite… Satisfy…

22 LUNCH TIME Please return on time, Thanks!

LEAPS for Voluntary Compliance Listen Empathize Ask Paraphrase Summarize

24 Effective Listening DO’S Pay attention Listen actively Invite talk Open mind Supportive Show acceptance & understanding Note NV cues DON’TS Rush to fill silences Be defensive Forget to listen for feelings Hesitate to clarify Glaze over

25 Active Listening Techniques Encouraging – “I see…” Restating – “If I understand, your idea is…” Reflecting – “You were pretty upset by…” Summarizing –“These seem to be key ideas you’ve expressed…”

Another Simple Compliance Technique Influence through expressions of gratitude & praise. Remember power of please & thank you

Exercise #6 Thank -You Notes

For Discussion What did you learn? Was this easy or not, & why? What impact will notes have? How can writing thank-you notes inspire & motivate others? How can this become a habit?

Nonverbal Communication & Persuasion Types of NV communication (See Tip Sheet) Importance of congruence Messages of sincerity Remaining outwardly calm

Exercise #7 Analyzing Video Clips

Presenting Main Points to Convince Others Building credibility Using evidence Reasoning Appealing to emotions

Powerful Presentation Techniques Place strongest points… –First (primacy) –Last (recency) Deal with opposing arguments 4 Elements - persuasive case Strategic considerations –See Tip Sheet on Persuasive Techniques & Leadership Principles

Exercise #8 Practicing Persuasion

For Discussion What did you learn? Characteristics of most persuasive speeches? What would you have done with more time? With Web access?

Conclusion & More Information Area of continuous improvement Well worth it! For more information, see bibliography