![]() ![]() Say, for instance, you have a meeting with a colleague you don’t know well from another division. “When you adopt a certain posture, you think in subordinate terms and you talk in subordinate terms, and it increases the likelihood that you’ll be seen as less authoritative,” Morgan says. Standing up straight with your shoulders back helps you come across as confident and commanding slouching and looking down at your feet has the opposite effect. ![]() “ hardwired to be asking the question, ‘Is this person a friend or foe? Is this person trying to undercut me, or are we on the same side?’” Your body language is critical to conveying the right message. People are constantly assessing whether to trust you or not, Morgan says. Instead, you should “practice the discipline of focus.” To do this, “turn your body toward the other person, freeze in place, and listen.” Clark agrees: “A big part of workplace resentment is people feeling disrespected and that their voices aren’t being heard.” So, ask colleagues for their perspectives and advice. We’re fidgety, preoccupied, or ready to reach for our phones. “Most of us walk around with a running to-do list in our heads,” Morgan says, and it shows. Start by giving them your undivided attention in one-on-one situations. The best way to prime colleagues for backing you and your agenda is to make them feel heard. “That way, they won’t impute negative intentions or motives to you.” This won’t translate directly into influence, of course, but it does “make it more likely that others will at least hear you out.” So, work on cultivating personal connections with your colleagues, and allow them to get to know you. You don’t have to be “the awesome-est person in the room” or make sure “everyone is blown away by your charisma.” You just need to have good rapport with your colleagues. It’s not quite a junior high school popularity contest, but “at a fundamental level, one of the reasons that people do things for you” - support your idea, or approve your budget - “is because they like you,” Clark says. ” And yet, “it’s more important than ever to be able to command influence, because of the increased pressure on getting results.” It all comes down to your approach. “Information overload and the pace of our digital lives have. “It’s never been harder to influence others, because they’ve never been more distracted,” he says. “You get more done and you advance the projects you care about and are responsible for,” which means “you’re more likely to be noticed, get promoted, and receive raises.” But gaining influence in the modern workplace is difficult, according to Nick Morgan, author of Power Cues. Having influence in the workplace has “clear value,” says Dorie Clark, author of Entrepreneurial You. So, what’s the best way to position yourself as an informal leader? How do you motivate colleagues to support your initiatives and adopt your ideas? How can you become a go-to person that others look to for guidance and expert advice? Your title alone isn’t always enough to sway others, nor do you always have a formal position. To be effective in organizations today, you must be able to influence people. ![]() These visible steps help you become that go-to person that others look to for advice. Attend conferences, enroll in a certification program, or assume a leadership position in a professional organization. Enlist colleagues who are enthusiastic about your idea to serve as ambassadors. Ask colleagues for their advice and incorporate their feedback. Then, based on your map, customize your pitch, taking into account your individual colleagues’ needs, perspectives, and temperaments. Prepare a concise elevator pitch about your idea. Think about how and when you will approach your colleagues. Create a “power map” - an org chart of decision makers related to the initiative you wish to promote - to guide your campaign. Here are some tips on how to position yourself as an informal leader, even if you’re not a formal one. ![]()
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