To achieve real success as a manager you need the support and backing of others. So what can you do to win over others?
Good managers know that to get people on board and supporting their ideas, they need to persuade and influence them. Persuading others is a skill and like all skills can be developed. So what can a manager do to win others over through persuasion?
Tip 1: Communication
Effective communication is a core element in persuading others. While it is clearly important to convey your thoughts and ideas effectively, it is even more important to listen. When you listen you pick up on some of the worries and concerns of others. In addition, you create a great opportunity to generate new ideas and insights that can make your proposal or idea even better.
Tip 2: Be a role model
As a manager, your team will look to you as a role model or leader. They will look at how you respond to difficult and challenging situations and how others respond to the same situations. If you consistently model the way in which you would like others to respond, a large proportion will adopt some of these traits. If people know that you walk your talk they will respect you.
Tip 3: Highlight other successes
When people are faced with a challenge, some will see it as a threat. When people feel threatened they will become less willing to try and may even dig in their heels. At this time, it is often useful to highlight successes that have been achieved in the past when it seemed impossible. This builds confidence and provides reassurance.
Tip 4: Be honest
People might not always like what you are about to tell them but the vast majority want to hear it as it is. They don’t want a lot of fluff and hype but an open and honest assessment of the situation and what needs to be done. Make a point of being honest with people about the upsides and downsides.
Tip 5: Involve others
There is only one of you and you cannot be great at everything. The answer is to involve others in finding the best way to address a particular challenge. The more ideas that are generated, the more options there are to evaluate and as a result it is more likely that the best solution will be found.
Bottom line – Achieving anything requires you to win over others, so what will you start to do differently?
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