Influencing skills

Course summary

Influencing skills are indispensable in modern organisations. Command and control structures have given way to less hierarchical, cross team and partnership working where you get things done by inspiring and persuading.

This two day course will help you understand how influencing works, provide you with practical tips and techniques to become more influential and help you work on building an effective personal influencing style.


Course outline

Over the 2 days you will cover:

• what is influence?
  • why influencing is becoming increasingly important
  • influencing - a leadership skill
  • new working patterns and the importance of influencing skills
  • the 'influencing hub'
• influencing strategies
  • adopting a strategic approach to influencing
  • top influencing tactics
  • framing issues
  • identifying champions
• developing and using
  • meeting skills:
    • influencing before, during and after a meeting.
    • using different types of contributions in meeting
  • negotiating skills:
    • how to prepare and run a negotiation
    • understanding your own attitudes to negotiation
    • aiming for win:win
  • networking skills:
    • how to build and sustain your own networks
    • networking at events
  • listening skills:
    • what to listen for
    • how to listen actively
  • assertiveness skills:
    • how to be more assertive, without being aggressive
    • understanding the culture you work in
• the psychology of influence: motivating other people
• influencing styles
  • different styles
  • how the nature of the challenge, will influence the style you use
  • identifying your own preferred style
• personal brand
  • what is your personal brand?
  • how your organisation's brand also needs to be reflected in how you act
  • how to clarify and build your personal brand
  • how to use your personal brand to help you exert influence
• high impact in presentations
  • why good presentation skills are important for an influencer
  • how clear messages and a strong presentation structure can help you achieve your aims
  • using personal brand to enhance the impact of a presentation

"I would recommend this course to the rest of my team and think the skills I learnt on the course are invaluable. Thank you!" JT, Mencap

"This has been a very good course. I feel I have learned a lot and have quite a number of strategies to put into practice to help me in my role." TC, Universities UK

"A very useful and engaging course, lots to take in, so handy to know I can follow up any further queries with trainer. Very accessible tools that I will use in my work." BR, Christian Aid


Who is this course for?

This course is for anyone who needs to influence others. This may be influencing as part of a leadership role, or influencing where you are in a partnership, project group or other setting (such as campaigning or negotiating) where you need to persuade others.


What will this course help me do: learning outcomes?

This course will give you the skills and confidence to use your influence - irrespective of your formal role or grade. It will help you understand what makes people tick, how to work more effectively in meetings and how to develop a convincing personal style.