Think about the most successful global leaders you know.
How do they gain commitment and get results?
While positional power is useful, moving others to help you achieve your vision requires more.
“It’s all about influence,” according to Andrea Jung.
And Jung should know.
Having successfully led 40,000 associates and 6 million independent sales representatives worldwide during her tenure as chairman of the board and CEO of Avon, Jung speaks from experience. She recently shared her reflections on leading a global business with this year’s Association for Talent Development Conference attendees.
According to Jung, “Influence is very, very different than power.” Influence is about deeply understanding people, and being able to motivate and inspire.
In the context of global business, influence is critical in terms of driving change, fostering innovation and reinvention, and engaging others.
To enhance your influencing skills:
- Know yourself. What’s your preferred communication style? How flexible is your style? What are your influencing goals?
- Know your stakeholders. Who’s the decision maker? What are their goals? What matters to them?
- Know your stuff. What’s important about your idea? How can you position your idea so it genuinely addresses the needs and interests of your stakeholders?
If you want to succeed as a global leader, grow your ability to influence others.
If you or your team could you use some help in strengthening your ability to influence, give ECC a call at 1+847.920.0190.
