According Peter Druker, (an American management consultant, author and educator), majority of the people keep their focus downward. They emphasize more on efforts rather than results. They always think and get worried about organizations and their superiors, who owe them in return of their high and keen efforts. Employees are conscious above all of the authority they ‘should have’. As a result their efforts become ineffectual.
Keeping these words in mind, I have seen many people running for jobs in Pakistan and need them immediately. They often don’t have particular plans or career management that can lead them a better job through which they can earn more. Beside all these practices like career planning courses or career management, finding according to interest jobs they don’t have any influence. Helping such people must be righteousness work. Making people aware of their strengths and fortes would not only bring them good working opportunity, but it is also paly vital role in boosting country’s economy. When people are influenced and determined they will put extra efforts in their jobs practices but also work according to their aptitude.
You can make a positive difference, even when you do not have direct line authority.
Here are 11 guidelines that will help you do a better job of influencing decision-makers, whether these decision-makers are immediate or upper managers, peers or cross-organizational colleagues.
You can make a positive difference, even when you do not have direct line authority.
Here are 11 guidelines that will help you do a better job of influencing decision-makers, whether these decision-makers are immediate or upper managers, peers or cross-organizational colleagues.
- Assenting Facts: It is a very generous fact that every person is capable of taking decisions that have some effect on their lives. It is not always necessary that an extraordinary or smartest or best person can take decisions for you. Try to realize this fact. Once we make peace with the fact that the people who have the power to make the decisions always make the decisions and we get over whining that "life isn't fair," we become more effective in influencing others and making a positive difference. We also become happier.
- Make Sure You Will Sell Your Ideas: every time when you present your idea to decision makers, make it sure that it is your responsibility to sell your idea instead of them to buy it. Many times presenting ideas to decision makers get similar to keepers that sell products or services to external customer. Influencing ultimately decision makers resembles with buying and selling, but the point of focus is that they don’t have to buy, you have to sell. No one will be impressed by the salesperson who complains that his customers are not buying his products. While the importance of taking responsibility may seem obvious in external sales, an amazing number of people in large corporations spend countless hours blaming management for not buying their ideas. A key part of the influence process involves the education of decision-makers. The effective influencer needs to be a good teacher.
- Focus More on Contribution, Instead of Your Achievements: elaborating the example of previous point, it is quite obvious that, an effective salesperson will never urge customer or buy his product or say you must buy this product so that I can get my achievement. An efficient salesperson works according to the need of the customers or for company’s welfare so that they must buy his talent, idea or skill. In the same way an effective influencer relate his efforts with the need of the organizations and generate useful items.
- Give out Your All to Achieve More: Don’t waste your psychological capital and energy on trivial points. Executives have very limited time. Before challenging the system, always do a thorough analysis of your ideas and do efforts accordingly. Focus on issues that make real difference. Always be willing to lose on small points. Remain supreme sensitive to the need of winning trivial non-business arguments on alternate things like sports, teams, cars, restaurants. You are paid to do what makes a difference and to win on important issues. You are not paid to win arguments on the relative quality of athletic teams.
- Don’t Just Sell Benefits; Present a Realistic “Cost Benefit” Idea: Every organization has limited resources, time, and energy. The acceptance of your idea may well mean the rejection of another idea that someone else believes is wonderful. Be prepared to have a realistic discussion of the costs of your idea.
- "Challenge Up" on Issues Involving Ethics: The best of corporations can be severely damaged by only one violation of corporate integrity. I hope you will never be asked to do anything by the management of your corporation that represents a violation of corporate ethics. If you are, refuse to do it and immediately let upper management know of your concerns. Try to present your case in a manner that is intended to be helpful, not judgmental.
- Realize That Powerful People Also Make Mistakes: Don't say, "I am amazed that someone at this level…" It is realistic to expect decision-makers to be competent; it is unrealistic to expect them to be anything other than normal humans. Even the best of leaders are human. We all make mistakes. When your managers make mistakes, focus more on helping them than judging them.
- Never Be Disrespectful: Treat decision-makers with the same courtesy that you would treat customers. While it is important to avoid kissing up to decision-makers, it is just as important to avoid the opposite reaction. Before speaking, it is generally good to ask one question from four perspectives. “Will this comment help 1) our company 2) our customers 3) the person I am talking to, and 4) the person I am talking about?” If the answers are no, no, no, and no, don't say it!
- Support and Encourage the Final decision: Don't tell direct reports, "They made me tell you." Assuming that the final decision of the organization is not immoral, illegal, or unethical, go out and try to make it work. Managers who consistently say, "They told me to tell you" to co-workers are seen as messengers, not leaders. Treat decision-makers the same way that you would want to be treated if the roles were reversed. If you stab your boss in the back in front of your direct reports, what are you teaching them to do when they disagree with you?
- Don’t Look Back; Focus on the future; One of the most important behaviors to avoid is whining about the past. Have you ever managed someone who incessantly whined about how bad things are? Nobody wins. Successful people love getting ideas aimed at helping them achieve their goals for the future. By focusing on the future, you can concentrate on what can be achieved tomorrow, not what was not achieved yesterday.