5 Ways to Turbocharge Your Influence (Without Being a Jerk)

Master the art of influence through genuine connection.

Photo by Marcin Jozwiak on Unsplash

Influencing with Impact

If leadership is about getting things done through people, the art of influence is your non-negotiable superpower. Whether you're pitching a bold vision, calming a disgruntled client, or negotiating that much-needed raise for a star employee, your ability to persuade and inspire action separates good leaders from the truly exceptional ones.

Forget slimy sales tactics or manipulative power plays. The strength-based approach to influence is built on authenticity, understanding, and a strategic use of your unique talents. How do you know when a strength veers off track? Here are a few warning signs:

Decoding the Influence Equation

True influence is more multifaceted than you might think. It's a blend of:

Credibility: People need to trust your competence and your intentions. This is where your track record and consistency matter.

Relationship Building: Strong connections fuel influence. People are more inclined to follow someone they like and relate to.

Persuasive Communication: From formal presentations to hallway chats, the ability to articulate your message clearly and compellingly is key.

Guess what? Your character strengths are the secret ingredients to supercharging each piece of this equation!

Your Influence Toolkit

Let's imagine you need to convince your team (who may be a tad skeptical) about a new initiative. Here's how different strengths can shape your approach:

The Analyst (Prudence, Judgment, Critical Thinking): You meticulously craft a data-driven presentation. Your logical strength bolsters your credibility and makes the case almost undeniable.

The Connector (Love, Kindness, Social Intelligence): You focus on building rapport, individually addressing concerns, and highlighting how the initiative aligns with each member's values.

The Visionary (Creativity, Perspective, Hope): You paint a compelling picture of the future, channeling your natural enthusiasm to spark excitement and buy-in.

None of these tactics are dishonest or coercive. You're working with your natural strengths, not trying to fake someone else's style.

 Exercise: Analyze a Master

Think of a leader (historical, current, or even fictional) whose persuasive skills you admire. Analyze how they wield influence. What character strengths do you think are at play? Try to isolate specific techniques or behaviors you could adapt to your own style.

When Strengths Clash

It gets tricky when differing strengths collide. Take a classic pairing: the results-driven go-getter focused on speed vs. that detail-oriented perfectionist. Recognizing each other's strengths, and where they might cause friction, can open the door to more productive collaboration.      

Your Challenge (Should You Accept It)

Choose an upcoming situation where you need to persuade someone (a colleague, boss, or even a family member!). Do these steps:

1.     Identify your goal: What exactly are you trying to achieve?

2.     Strength assessment: What are your top 2-3 strengths most relevant to this task?

3.     The "anti-you": Which strengths are most likely to be held by the person you're trying to persuade? (Consider their personality, past behaviors).

4.     Your Strategy: How can you leverage your strengths in a way that will resonate with them? Think about your communication style, evidence, and how you'll frame the issue.

A strength-based approach doesn't mean always mean getting your way. However, it dramatically increases your chances of finding common ground and creating win-win scenarios.

Up next, we're turning our focus to the heart of your leadership power: building a kick-ass team that thrives on the collective strength of its members.

To Say it Differently…

Think of your strengths as puzzle pieces. When you lock into someone with complementary strengths, something magical happens – the full picture snaps into focus. Maybe your big-picture vision pairs perfectly with someone's detail-oriented approach. Your gift for storytelling lights a fire under a data whiz. When it comes to influence, it's not about forcing someone to change their shape. It's about finding those pieces that click together effortlessly, creating something stronger and more beautiful than any piece could achieve alone.

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VIA: Your Strength-Decoding Tool

The most well-respected tool for uncovering your character strengths is called the VIA Survey of Character Strengths. It's free, has a ton of research backing it up, and takes only 15 minutes to complete.

VIA Survey Link:

Go ahead and do the VIA Survey now. I’ll wait…

Don't overthink the survey; go with your gut reactions. The key is honesty, not trying to guess the "right" answers. When you're done, you'll get a ranking of all 24 strengths. This is your starting line, your personalized leadership blueprint.

I will see you next week, ready to move forward based on your results.

Or to get ahead and support my writing, you can purchase my ebook on Amazon: “Fall in Love With Your Inner Leader: Become More Connected, Confident, Creative in 7 Weeks.”