Definition
Effectively influence others to achieve
understanding, acceptance, and commitment to act in support
of ideas, programs, or causes. Influence implies an
intention to persuade, convince, influence or impress others
(individuals or groups) in order to get them to go along
with or to support the organization’s direction. The "key"
is understanding others, since Influence is based on the
desire to have a specific impact or effect on. A specific
type of impression to make, or a course of action taken to
get others to adopt. Initiative, willingness and courage
possessed by individuals to create opportunities where other
do not, and who attempt to exploit those opportunities
through various modes of organizing, with out regard to
resources currently controlled. |
Behavioral Descriptions
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Proficiency Level 5
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Causes major changes that affect
agency-wide operations.
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Influences positive relationships with
key individuals, top executives, customer groups, or
external stakeholders (e.g., legislatures, interest groups,
national unions/employee associations, professional
associations, the public).
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Negotiates decisions or solutions that
affect the actions of other organizations or the public
at-large.
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Sways opinions of entire population of people
in an organization or its stakeholder groups.
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Actions result in more favorable public opinion,
improvement in public perception and increased support for programs and
services.
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Proficiency Level 4
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Influences actions that change or
affect a major area of business.
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Facilitates communication and
cooperation between major functional and stakeholder
groups.
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Smoothes working relationships
between various stakeholder groups.
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Persuades key people in multiple
functional or programmatic areas to change decisions,
opinions, attitudes, or behaviors.
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Proficiency Level 3
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Influences more than one team,
stakeholder group, caseload, etc
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Facilitates agreement on issues among
multiple cross-functional groups or subordinate teams
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Induces members of several small
groups, sub-functions, or small programs to modify
activities or procedures
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Convinces professional or management
staff in separate but interrelated areas to compromise
on something
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Actively promote and solicit support
for program or cause. Build credibility as a
representative by demonstrating personal commitment and
sharing information.
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Utilizing an understanding of
audience perspectives and interests, successfully select
and employ a variety of methods, tools, and resources to
identify, reach, and educate potential partners and
supporter
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Ensure that audiences grasp the
essence and benefits of the program or cause. Tailor
messages to specific audiences to develop interest and
endorsement
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Consistently maintain contact with
the public and constituents. Continue efforts in public
relations to further commitment to the cause
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Proficiency Level 2
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Influences others in a team, a small
stakeholder group, a caseload, etc.
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Influences a number of staff,
managers, peers, internal customers, or a limited
population of external customers to do something they
wouldn’t do otherwise.
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Facilitates positive dialog within a
small work unit, project team, local operation or
program segment.
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Helps others reach agreement and make
compromises.
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Proficiency Level 1
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Influence has effect on one or two
others, affects one’s individual activities.
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Engages in dialog that has an impact
on one’s individual activities.
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Influences one or two other people
(Ex: manager, peer, customer, or coworker.)
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Suggested Activities for Development
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Volunteer to
negotiate a problem with a customer.
Attend an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) workshop.
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Meet with someone
whose negotiating skills you would classify as win/win.
Find out what she or he does and apply what you learn to
similar situations.
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When preparing for
a negotiation, practice in front of your manager,
colleagues, or family members.
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Do some
brainstorming and list a number of ways that you could
act to influence a situation, then consider which are
most likely to be effective.
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Ask for feedback
from people who did not support an idea or proposal you
developed. Find out what you could have been done to
persuade them.
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Videotape yourself
participating in a role-play where you are persuading
someone to take action. Review it and give yourself
feedback on your approach.
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Invite your manager
to observe you in a meeting where you will be
negotiating or influencing a group. Ask for feedback.
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Negotiate a
contract with a customer.
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Volunteer to serve
as a mediator.
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Volunteer to work
on a cross-functional team.
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Make a presentation
to senior management about providing an innovative
product or service to customers.
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Recommended Courses
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Additional Resource
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Negotiating and Influencing Skills:
The Art of Creating and Claiming Value by B. C. McRae
(Sage Publications, 1998). Subject: negotiation,
influence.
25 Role Plays for Negotiation Skills by S. Asherman, I.
G. Asherman, & S. V. Asherman (Human Resource
Development Press, 1995). Participants think and act
like negotiation experts.
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Credibility: How Leaders Gain and
Lose It, Why People Demand It by J. M. Kouzes & B.
Posner (Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1993). This is a guide
to help managers understand the fundamental importance
of credibility for building personal and organizational
success, and for fostering trust within work, family and
the community.
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Facilitation Skills for Team Leaders
by C. L. Martin & D. Hackett (Crisp Publications, 1993).
Offers easy-to-understand concepts that will be
immensely helpful to all team leaders. Lead your team
into organized productivity.
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Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement
Without Giving In by R. Fisher, W. Ury & B. Patton
(Penguin Books, 1991). This book offers a concise,
step-by-step proven strategy for coming to mutually
acceptable agreements in every sort of conflict.
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Behavioral-Based Interviewing Questions
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