Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Step1
Know that influence isn’t being a tyrant or dictator. You won’t be able to attract people to a project you want to launch by giving orders or being pushy. The key is to get the ball rolling while getting people on the team or organization involved in a way that is beneficial to them. After all, everyone wants to know what’s in it for them.
Step2
Determine the right people you want to approach and persuade. What resources and authorization do you need? People support ideas and are more committed to them if they are feel they are being a contributor. It doesn’t make sense to involve the mail boy when who you really need is an IT person. Be respectful of people’s time and intelligence. Make it worth their while!
Step3
Research and plan a strategy. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. You may be met with opposition. Make a list of concerns or questions that people may have with your project. Getting people to come on-board a task means being organized and confident in your ideas and abilities.
Step4
Be flexible. Maybe you may get better support for your idea if you make changes to it. There’s value in different perspectives. Be prepared to negotiate. Remember, help people to help you. A modified project is better than no project
Step5
It’s not always easy to get people to see your vision. Disappointments happen and you may be tempted to get frustrated. Being able to influence others takes time. Be patient, if you can remember to round up the people who can get the job done best, treat everyone with respect. By being open to options, you’ll be able to influence your co-workers in no time!
Step6
Collaboration from a group of people is a challenge.